Just Around The Corner
by Basmathgirl
Summary: Donna left the TARDIS with the Duplicate Doctor in tow, hell bent on caring for him. This is what happened when the Doctor ran into his best friend.
1. Chapter 1

**Prompt:** "Handy comes into being as we saw him, but he's really a kid in a young man's body."

**Warning:** this is NOT a Ten/Rose fic, so _please_ do not think it is. In fact Rose fans should maybe skip this story altogether.

**Summary:** Set after the events of JE, where Donna left the TARDIS with the Duplicate Doctor in tow, the Doctor runs into his best friend.

**Disclaimer:** I own the DVDs but not much else.

**A/N:** this started as another light-hearted film rip-off and then veered into something else entirely different for the Alternative Handy Fic Challenge set by **tkelparis**.

**A/N2:** You might be able to detect a strong reference to my days as a massive Mel Gibson fan…

* * *

**Just Around The Corner**

**Part 1**

.

The Doctor was on his way to Jervon-D when the TARDIS went funny hat on him and threw him completely off course. Stepping out of the TARDIS he was shocked to find himself standing outside Wilf's shed on his allotment, having narrowly missed a particularly fine row of parsnips.

Not only that, but Wilf was standing looking back at him with an equal amount of shock on his face before a large smile broke out on his aged face.

"Doctor? Is that you?" Wilf asked with glee; almost dancing a little jig. "Hello lad!"

"Hello, Wilf! How is everyone?" the Doctor answered in return, grasping Wilf's offered hand and shaking it firmly.

"Not so bad, thanks! It's been a bit quiet since Donna and your son moved out; but as I said, fine," Wilf instantly offered.

Son? "Donna and who?" he demanded to know.

Wilf waved a hand vaguely as he tried to recall the correct words. "You know… your Tim! He's a case, isn't he? Gets up to all sorts of tricks, making Sylvia laugh at his antics. I don't think I've ever seen her laugh so much."

"Do you mean the metacrisis when you say Tim?" the Doctor queried bluntly.

Wilf looked confused for some moments, and then exploded with joyous understanding. "Of course, you wouldn't know what Donna named him!" he realised. "My girl has been such a good mother to him; said she wanted to make it up to him for having to leave you."

The Doctor spluttered his protest. "They did _not_ have to leave; they _chose_ to leave! There is plenty of room onboard the TARDIS; they knew that!"

"They also knew that your Rose was staying with you. Donna said she can be a bit possessive," Wilf countered conspiratorially, in their defence.

His Rose? The Doctor moved his head from side to side, grimacing as he fought to disagree. "Oh, alright! Yes, she is a bit possessive, and wanted them out; but she didn't insist on it!"

"Donna knew she felt that way nevertheless," Wilf pointed out, feeling that he ought to continue to defend her decision. "The pair of them couldn't stick around knowing they weren't completely welcome with your Rose."

The Doctor guiltily dropped his gaze. Had Rose made her misgivings that evident? He'd honestly thought Donna was merely being over sensitive to Rose's possessive streak. "She wouldn't listen to reason where they are concerned; but I'm working on it," he quietly promised.

"Yes, I can see you are," Wilf tritely replied, but he wasn't one to bear a grudge. He patted the Doctor consolingly on the back. "I suppose you could do with a cup of tea. Come down, and I'll fill you in with all the details."

* * *

A couple of hours later the Doctor found himself standing outside an imposing office block, waiting for Donna to emerge as she went on her way home. He really hoped Wilf had got it right, and that she would be willing to talk to him. He was just pondering the probability of that when Donna appeared in front of him, clearly experiencing mixed emotions at seeing him. He had wanted to instantly hug her but felt he'd better not in the circumstances, especially as he didn't fancy a repeat performance of their first ever meeting. "Hello, Donna… How are you?" the Doctor stammered out.

"Older," she answered. "And you? Still picking up random women?"

"Oh... you know, just meeting people," he answered vaguely.

"What's her name?" she asked knowingly.

"It was erm…" He suddenly looked sheepish. "It was Martha again for a while; but now it's… erm…just Rose."

Donna quirked a sceptical eyebrow. "I'm surprised Rose let Martha anywhere near you. Is she still as jealous of anything that crawls?"

"No! She's just trying to make a difference in the universe. She has ambitions," he defended her.

"I bet she does," Donna replied sarcastically. "So come on then, what sort of ambitions does she have that doesn't involve tying you to her?"

"She erm… she wants to be a singer. And she quite fancies trying to make it big as an actress," he supplied.

Donna snorted her derision. "I wish her luck with that. Unfortunately every other remotely pretty girl wants to do all that, but at least she has you to influence people."

"I can but try," he answered. "I'm disappointed in you though; it isn't like you to be so mean about someone!"

Donna's anger visibly deflated with a sigh. "I know; you're right. I'm sorry for sounding so off. It's cheap and I can't help being angry about her." After some moments, she added, "You're still looking the same. Not exactly a shocker that one…"

"Thanks. So… What about you? What have you been up to since I last saw you?" he asked.

She fixed him with a beady look. "No doubt Gramps has told you all about the fun Tim and I have had. I had to move him out of Mum's place because he kept breaking stuff; and I have to use camping crockery and cutlery because I've never known anyone who can destroy things like he can. To think I thought _you_ were accident prone!" she said with a fond sigh.

"Can I see him?" he softly asked.

"I don't see why not," she told him. "You have the right to see your own son once in a while. Just don't build his hopes up; that's all I ask."

The Doctor offered her his arm in invitation as they walked. "Why, what's the problem?"

"I suppose I ought to warn you, he's not as you last saw him. He wasn't quite all the ticket then but he deteriorated rapidly when we left the TARDIS, as if he left behind a vital part of his cognitive processes," she added the last part reluctantly to her explanation. "I suppose having your link with her torn away like that; and then having to deal with my mental shenanigans would have caused more than a few brain cells to fry."

"Why didn't you tell me? I could have helped him!" the Doctor grumbled loudly at her.

"I did!" she spat back. "I left message after message on your phone; and the only time I ever got a reply it was Rose telling me to stop harassing you."

"She did?" he asked, clearly stunned at this revelation as he halted their progress. "I'm so sorry, Donna. I didn't know; I swear I didn't."

Donna raised a sceptical eyebrow at him. "Yeah, well you can explain all that to Tim when you meet him. Do you want to come home with me to pick him up from where he works at Currys?"

"Try stopping me," he told her sincerely. "In fact, let's go now."

* * *

The Doctor stood back as Donna waited by the rear door of the shop. The door swished open, held there by a middle-aged man. "There you go, Tim," he said to someone to his side.

"Thank you, Mr Prescott," a familiar voice replied. A man who still looked like the Doctor but wore a blue and fluorescent purple uniform, bound out whilst waving cheerily at Donna, and then embraced her fervently. "Mum! I'm so glad to see you. Today has been absolute rubbish!" he declared in petulant tones. "I had to re-stack the computer games three times and an old woman accused me of being too cheeky."

Donna hugged him back, and lovingly kissed his forehead after sweeping back his long fringe. "Never mind, love. Tim, I've got a nice surprise that might make it all better for you," she said fondly.

He beamed happily back at her as he released some of his tight hold. "Are we going to McDonald's for dinner?" he eagerly asked. "I can ask if they're got the Transformer I want."

"No, that isn't the surprise," she said as she laughed, gripping his hands. "Hopefully you'll think it's even better than that!"

Judging by the expression on his face there wasn't much else that could be better. "I don't know, Mum. Where are you taking me?" he asked cautiously. "You aren't taking me back to that horrible Dr Kennedy, are you? I don't want to go back," he whined.

"Don't worry! I said I'd never take you back there and I meant it," she soothed him with a tender touch to his shoulder. She then nodded her head towards a point behind her. "Your surprise is over there, Tim," she told him.

Confounded, he looked to where she had indicated, and spotted the Doctor standing some feet away. "Dad! Is that really my dad?" he wondered in awe. He risked a glance at Donna to see if he was seeing correctly and then sprinted towards the Doctor. "Dad! Dad! It's my Dad!" he yelled out in excitement; and engulfed the Doctor in a huge hug.

The Doctor fought to stay upright whilst he chuckled at his enthusiasm, and returned the embrace. "It's me, Tim," he finally confirmed. "It's definitely me."

Tim let out a happy squeak and increased his hold. "Mum said you probably wouldn't come back now, but I told her you would," he said, and then turned his attention onto Donna. "Didn't I, Mum? I said Dad would come to see me."

She smiled reassuringly back at him. "Yes, you did."

Tim let out a little sob, and Donna was instantly at his side, wiping away a tear or two with a handkerchief she had produced from her coat pocket. "I've got my dad back," he proclaimed in a wavering voice, and promptly burst into tears.

Donna gently shushed him, and drew him into her arms. "It's alright, darling. He won't go away and leave you again for ages. I promise," She told him in soft tones, and tenderly kissed his cheek. "Do you believe me?"

Tim nodded his agreement, not trusting himself to speak.

"Should we get him into the car, Donna?" the Doctor asked. He still had a hold of one of Tim's hands, unwillingly to let go of this broken soul or let him feel any embarrassment.

"Come on," Donna said to Tim, trying to cheer him along. "Shall we make this even better and use the drive-through?"

"Can we?" he asked in a small, delighted voice. "Yes please! I bagsy the front seat!" And he grinned with happiness all the way there.


	2. Chapter 2

**Part 2**

.

With new determination, the Doctor momentarily left Donna and Tim to pack, and strode up to his home. His head was swimming with plans and possible scenarios. He knew he could reverse some of the damage if he could just find the right piece of equipment.

As he stood at the console checking through information on the monitor he was accosted by an irate Rose. No doubt some of her irritation was due to being left on her own for hours without any word or explanation from him. Perhaps he should have taken his mobile phone with him instead of leaving it in the console?

"Doctor! Why are we still here? Shouldn't we be on our way by now?" Rose demanded when she noticed he had returned to the TARDIS. "Isn't everything fixed now?"

He sighed heavily. "No, Rose. Something else has cropped up that I have to deal with."

"But we only landed in Chiswick. What on earth do you have to fix here?" she queried; clearly irritated with his decision.

"My son!" he retorted, barely looking up from the monitor as it fed him information from the simulations he was testing out.

She frowned in confusion at him. "Your son? What son? I didn't know you had a son. Do you mean the other you; the metacrisis you? The one that Donna is looking after? Surely she can cope with him. Or is she daft enough to mess that up as well?"

The Doctor felt anger building in him; and he lifted his head to sternly regard her. "It isn't Donna's fault he can't…" He couldn't bring himself to say how brain damaged Tim obviously was, rendering him a child in a man's body. "He needs my help. That's why I've invited them back in the TARDIS."

"You've done what?" Rose reacted before she could help herself. She'd always hated sharing the Doctor, and she thought things were different now that she had made her way back to him. Hadn't she proved her loyalty after all? Enough to be given sole occupancy as his companion. And she'd been very pleased to see that the TARDIS had squirreled away Donna's room with all the other rooms that would be eventually recycled.

The Doctor stood glaring at her, wanting to let rip but knowing from what the TARDIS had told him he had to keep on an even keel for the next few minutes. He promised himself he would take up this topic properly with Rose later. "That's enough, Rose! Yes, they are coming onboard; so that we can take them to Torchwood," the Doctor hastily informed her.

Rose could not have been more relieved if she had tried! They were only having company to Cardiff, and not during any future adventures. She was brought out of her musings by someone knocking on the TARDIS door.

Grinning broadly, the Doctor bound forward and enthusiastically threw open the door, declaring, "I thought you still had your key?"

"I do," Donna's voice could clearly be heard within the console room. "But I don't live here anymore, so it would be rude of me to use it except in an emergency."

"Nah! There's no need to be like that. Come on in, both of you!" the Doctor invited them in gleefully, kissing Donna on the cheek and hugging Tim warmly.

Tim rushed in and then stood shyly on the ramp, taking care to look at everything with wonder as he felt the TARDIS welcome him in. "It's just as I remember it," he said in hushed tones.

Donna instantly swept up to his side and took his hand. She could see the tears brimming in his eyes; and he would have openly cried if Rose hadn't been standing near enough to see.

"Why is he reacting like that, Doctor? They only left here a month ago at the most," Rose wondered.

The Doctor shook his head at her. "No, Rose. It's been three years for them since they were here." He reached out a hand to squeeze Tim's shoulder in consolation. "That's far too long to be away from the TARDIS. Let's get you to your bedrooms."

"Erm… Doctor!" Donna hesitantly caught his attention. "Tim normally sleeps in my room."

"Like that, eh?" Rose giggled with delight. Perhaps she wouldn't have to share the Doctor after all.

It was only Tim's anxious face that stopped Donna from giving Rose a mouthful for thinking such a thing. Instead she soothingly rubbed a hand on his back, and answered as matter of factly as she could, "I need to keep an eye on him."

"Do you want to help me carry the cases?" the Doctor asked Tim in an effort to distract him from his worried thoughts.

Tim brightened as he accepted one of the cases, and he followed the Doctor down the corridor whilst making a point of avoiding Rose. He wasn't sure what to make of her. There were vague memories of liking her, but she wasn't acting as though she liked him and he knew from experience that can lead to unwanted angst or even pain. True, his mum was there to protect him, but he didn't want to risk anything just yet.

* * *

The room the Doctor led them into was bright and airy, filled with lots of pretty colours. Tim just stood and took it all in.

"Doctor, you kept my room!" Donna couldn't help exclaiming. "But look, Tim. We've got a large bed each. Isn't the TARDIS wonderful for doing that for us?"

Tim was already thanking the TARDIS for providing him with such a magnificent temporary home. He wasn't sure how he'd done that; he just knew that he could talk to her and she said he could call her Idris. "It's great!" he agreed. "Which one is mine?"

"Go ahead and choose," she offered; and laughed with joy when he cautiously bounced on both beds to test them out. With tears in her eyes, she turned to the Doctor and threw her arms around him in a grateful hug. "Thank you, Spaceman."

The Doctor returned the hug with the same amount of eagerness. It was so good to have them onboard. If the singing from the TARDIS was anything to go by, she was delighted too. Part of that goodness was holding Donna again; it had been far too long since he had been able to do that whenever he liked. Even though Rose offered him hugs there was something different about a Donna hug.

Tim sat on the bed watching his parents embrace with a great deal of curiosity. Part of him wanted to yell, "She's MY Mum!" and he was at a complete loss as to why. He didn't normally have to share her, but he could understand someone wanting her cuddles because they were ace! He could also feel a great deal of sadness within his father, and he wanted to please him enough to love him. Tim really hoped his dad could grow to love him.

As he thought that, the Doctor looked up and smiled brightly at him. "You are very lucky to have your mum's cuddles on tap like you do," the Doctor said to him. "But do you know what I could do with right now?"

Tim shook his head as he confessed he didn't.

"I'd love a hug with my son too," the Doctor added.

With a big beamy smile, Tim launched himself off the bed and into the shared embrace of his parents. If only ever moment could feel this good!

* * *

"Rose! We need to talk!" The Doctor marched into the television room where Rose was sitting watching a favoured show and shouted his demand at her.

"Where are the other two?" Rose instantly asked, wondering how much of an audience they would have while the Doctor got whatever was on his mind out into the open.

The Doctor could feel the rage he'd been suppressing all day rise up through him fast. "Donna is putting Tim to bed," he told her through gritted teeth. "Apparently you have something to explain regarding some phone calls."

"Do I?" Rose pondered. She had no idea what he was on about, unless he didn't like her phoning in on the TARDIS phone to vote for X Factor. "What calls?"

She suddenly realised the Doctor was looming threateningly over her, and she flinched. "The phone messages from Donna after she left," he supplied.

His expression was starting to frighten her now. "Oh them! Yes, she kept phoning you, leaving message after stupid message. It was always garbled."

"Like someone hysterical with fright?" he suggested, and then stepped closer still. "Like someone needing help; help for my son?"

Rose was trembling now. "I don't know. It might have been; but Donna can be so dramatic at times with her loudness. I never know what to believe," she confessed in a small voice.

"Did you not think that maybe, MAYBE, she needed my help?" he yelled.

"I… I… just thought she was pestering you, being a bitch about leaving us; like some ex-wife," Rose tried to explain.

That did it; the 'ex-wife' bit hit home a lot more than Rose could ever know, given his and Donna's past history. "You might be responsible for my son's future going awry if Torchwood can't supply the items I need! I want you to know that, Rose Tyler. You have caused unnecessary suffering to my son!" The Doctor stood in his full Oncoming Storm glory.

Tears streamed down her face. The Doctor had never been so mean to her before, and all she'd done was screen a few phone calls for him in order to stop him getting a mouthful of abuse from a very bitter sounding Donna. "I'm sorry," she said with a sob. "I was only trying to help."

"That sort of help I can do without!" he declared, and just stood glaring at her.

Eager to break his gaze, Rose offered, "I'll go and make us all some tea... Yes, I'll do that. Perhaps Donna would like a biscuit with it too." She then tentatively manoeuvred herself around him and fled the room, aiming for the kitchen.

Once there, sobbing her heart out, she helped herself to a consoling biscuit or two as she waited for the kettle to boil; and formed an ill-conceived plan to gain some revenge for being humiliated. The basis of it was to get the Doctor jealous.


	3. Chapter 3

**Part 3**

.

The Doctor was keen to keep Tim in the TARDIS to settle down before heading for Cardiff and meeting Jack. Tim had greeted him okay, but he was still acting very shyly around him and he wanted his son to accept him more before starting his possible treatment. There was enough time to wait for him to come round a bit more.

He also wanted to make it up to Donna for all that she had been through looking after Tim; she hadn't deserved all that. So he decided to take her for a quiet chat while Tim was safely watched over by the TARDIS and Rose, who had been given stern instructions to keep an eye on him.

Tim was sitting happily playing on the floor of the library with his latest Transformer toy when Rose approached him.

"Hello, Tim," she cheerily greeted him. "What are you doing?"

"Playing," he succinctly replied as she sat herself down next to him. "What are you doing?" He eyed her cautiously. He didn't remember much about her from when he had last been in the TARDIS but his mum had assured him that Rose was basically nice underneath it all.

Rose smiled at him. "I was wondering if you fancy playing a little game with me?" she coquettishly asked.

"I don't know; I've only got the one Transformer with me," he answered honestly.

She decided to try a different tactic. "What sort of job did you do in Currys, Tim?"

He beamed back at her because he knew how to answer this question with ease. "I set up the computers for people, make them fixed when they break, climbed up the ladder for Tabitha 'cos she ain't allowed to climb up seeing as she's pregnant, and I carry TVs to the back door when Mr Prescott asks me to," he said proudly.

"And did you ever have to pretend that something had been done when it hadn't?" she pressed.

"Oh no!" he said adamantly. "Mum does not approve of lying unless it is a teensy tiny one for when it's my birthday. Only lying for a good surprise is allowed."

"Then how do you fancy being an actor with me? We could pretend we are heroes rescuing someone, or we could play 'mothers and fathers'," she offered.

Tim hung his head despondently. "I don't want to play 'mothers and fathers' 'cos that would mean I would have to go and hide all the time; and I'd miss dinner."

Rose felt her heart sink for him. Had he really gained that idea of what a father does? "Then we'll be heroes. Here, let me show you…" She reached to grab the bottom of his jumper, and Tim flinched away from her. "I'm not going to hurt you; I promise. I'm just going to show you what to do with your jumper," she assured him.

"Alright then," Tim answered, not feeling very convinced that this game was any good; but he took his jumper off and handed it to her. Mum had specifically told him that you never let other people touch you unless you wanted them to.

She took the jumper gently from his hands, swept it onto his shoulders and did a simple knot around his throat. "There you go! Now you have a cape. What do you think?"

"It's not a very big cape," he said in disappointment.

"Perhaps we can get you a bedsheet to use as a bigger cape next time?" she suggested.

"Okay, I'll ask Mum if I can," he told her, feeling himself warm towards her. "Now what?"

"I'm going to go and pretend I've been captured and you have to rescue me." Rose then got up and laid herself down on the nearest settee.

"Why have they captured you?" he asked, not moving from his spot.

"It doesn't really matter. The hero doesn't ask that one, he just rescues the damsel in distress." She got herself comfortable on the cushions and then declared, "I'm ready to be rescued!"

Tim crawled over and peered at her. "How am I supposed to rescue you? And what am I supposed to do with you once I've done it?"

Rose huffed a sigh. "You haven't watched many hero films, have you, Tim?"

He shook his head. "No; Mum says they give me nightmares."

A few expletives about Donna crossed Rose's mind in that instant. Biting down on her urge to express her thoughts, Rose took hold of his hand and pulled his body closer. "Come here and I'll whisper what you do," she said, and waited for him to bring his head as near as possible. Looking up at him it was uncanny how much he looked like the Doctor when he first regenerated; to the point it almost took her breath away, and made her next action really easy. "What you have to do is this…" She reached up across the small distance between them and kissed his lips.

Tim reacted like a startled rabbit, and wiped his mouth angrily with his shirt sleeve. "What did you do that for?" he demanded indignantly. "Yuck! I'm telling Mum!"

"No don't go!" Rose called after him in vain, but he had already shot out of the room as fast as his legs would carry him.

* * *

Tim ran into Donna's room, and was surprised to find it empty. "Mum?" he called out, but there was no answer. "Where is she, Idris?" he tearfully asked the TARDIS after several fruitless minutes of searching for Donna and not being able to find her in the console room, the kitchen or the television room.

Taking pity on him, the TARDIS guided him down a corridor he was unfamiliar with yet, and placed a spotlight on a dark brown door. "In there, Idris?" he wondered. Looking both ways to double check he wasn't doing anything he wasn't allowed to do, Tim turned the handle and opened the door.

On the other side of the door was lush grass. Thick deep red grass that smelt wonderful! Tim bounced in and jumped about with glee. This was fun! He loved the fact that Idris had so many glorious rooms to show him, and he rarely got told off for looking.

A small mouse-like creature caught his attention, and Tim followed its progression through the long grass with keen interest; even imitating it for a moment or two. His delight continued when he found himself by some trees and what looked like a sparkling stream, full of types of fish he had never seen before. Just on the opposite side of the stream to him he spotted his mum and dad sitting idly chatting together. With a fervent wave of his hand Tim went to shout at them that he was there; and then he realised they weren't exactly chatting. As he stood watching them, to his horror, the Doctor leaned in and kissed Donna!

"Leave my Mum alone!" Tim shouted at the top of his voice as rage coursed through his body, causing his fists to ball up. "Stop it! Stop it now!"

"Tim?" Donna wrenched herself away from the Doctor and gazed to where the voice had come from. She hurriedly stood up, and called out, "Tim! What are you doing here? What's the matter? Who upset you?"

Tim was positively leaping with fury by now. "Argh!" he screamed. "This place is mad!"

She shot an apologetic look at the Doctor. "I've got to go or he'll make himself sick. It'll be Benny Newman's birthday party all over again." Donna then held out a protective hand and called out to Tim, "Stay there! I'll be over in a tick."

She raced along the bank to where she had crossed the stream earlier, agitated to see Tim stomping in his fury. 'Oh no, not again' ran through her mind as she made her way across without slipping in. Tim had caught a man trying to kiss her before, and that had turned out to be more trouble than it was worth. She couldn't blame Tim for being so scared she would abandon him; she had her mother to thank for putting that stupid idea in his head! Who in their right mind tells a child their mum isn't there because she'd gone off to see a soldier? It had taken a lot of convincing with Tim that she didn't know any soldiers, let alone wanted to go off with them!

Anyway, that was in the past; she had to deal with one of Tim's rare tantrums. The poor love didn't know how to deal with anger properly, since he rarely felt that way. "He kissed you!" Tim screamed at her.

"It was just a 'hello' kiss," she explained softly, embracing him loosely. "Just like this…" And she placed a kiss on his cheek.

"It wasn't like that," he insisted, letting her comfort him. "You don't say hello to Gramps like that."

She cuddled his head close into her neck. "You're right; I wouldn't do it like that with Gramps. But I would with men friends that I've known a long time."

"I wouldn't," he stated, calming down a great deal.

"I don't suppose I would expect you to kiss any man like that," Donna deliberately pondered, hoping to distract him.

"Mum!" he huffed in embarrassment.

"Tim!" she mocked him in equal tones. "The next thing I'll know you'll be telling me you are starving."

She felt a shrug against her body. "I could eat some lunch," he admitted.

"Then how about we have something to eat and then we will go and visit Jack? Your dad tells me Jack has lots of interesting things for you to explore," Donna suggested.

Tim lifted his head, casting a glance at the Doctor standing watching them keenly, before whispering, "I love you, Mum."

"And I love you, you silly pup!" she told him, and fondly ruffled his hair.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** I'm obviously not stopping at five parts to this as I intended (okay, I lied because originally it was three parts long) because it keeps growing… so sue me!

**A/N2:** Not quite a DVD Extra, **VanillaOrchid95**, but I hope it suffices. :D

* * *

**Part 4**

.

The Doctor was feeling decidedly strange. It was if another 'him' was living his life; there was no other way to describe it. It certainly wasn't normal for him to go around kissing Donna Noble, especially on a mere whim.

Their day had started fairly normally, with them both falling back into old patterns of behaviour around each other. He had offered her his arm as they walked, and she had eagerly taken it; nothing more, nothing less.

Why he had chosen to take her into the Gallifrey garden room was anybody's guess, but it had seemed apt at the time, as if by showing her this small piece of his home planet he was begging her forgiveness. By forgiving him hopefully she would accept his word that he had every intention of helping Tim gain back something of his original self. But Donna was sceptical it could be done; all the doctors she had taken Tim to had said he had suffered irreversible brain damage during some trauma. They had even shown her the scans that proved their diagnosis.

So Donna had wistfully smiled back at the Doctor as he put forward his suggestions of help via the equipment held in the Hub of Torchwood, in the same way she had often smiled at him. It was the smile that suspended belief for a few seconds as he rambled on, saying for all intents and purposes, "Yeah, I'll believe you; thousands wouldn't."

"Please believe me, Donna. I will make this better," he promised. "Tim deserves to have some happiness in his life."

Then Donna had deeply touched him by saying, "You've already given him the happiness he wanted by coming back into his life. Nothing can compare to that."

"And what about your happiness, Donna? If I could do anything for you, what would it be?" he had softly asked.

"Be his father," she had simply answered. "That's good enough for me."

"So you don't want me to set you up on a date with Brad Pitt?" he had mischievously asked her, getting the delighted laugh he had wanted.

"What, with all those kids he's got now? No thanks! One is enough for me." She truly laughed then. "Anyway, I haven't got the lips to entice him." She had then pursed her lips up into a huge pout in demonstration.

The Doctor chuckled at her antics. "Angelina Jolie's got nothing on you. May I say that you, Donna Noble, have divine lips?"

"Geroff!" she had blustered, playfully batting at his chest as they sat contemplating the beautiful landscape before them and basking in the artificial sunlight. "Hark at you with all the blarney." She had then caused him to laugh even more by fluttering her eyelashes at him and saying in her best Southern accent, "Why I do declare you are flirting with me, Mr Grump."

His eyes had practically danced with mirth as he edged closer. "Mama says…" He didn't get much further because they were too busy giggling together at their shared joke. Forrest Gump had been a much enjoyed film, watched many a time together during their relaxation periods. As he calmed down, he could not resist saying in a whisper, "There's so much I want to say. I've missed you, and I wish you knew how much."

"Tell me then," she had whispered back; allowing him to lean in much closer than she would normally.

The kiss was inevitable really; that's how he saw it. They'd been on track for that kiss since before the events of 1926; perhaps as far back as Pompeii when they had stared at each other in that escape pod? He only knew that he had thought about kissing her 'goodbye' then.

His lips had moved delicately over hers, and Donna had only just started to kiss him back when Tim had shouted at them. For some strange reason the TARDIS hadn't given him much warning Tim was there; so she obviously wanted Tim to see them. Why was a different question, and he would be asking it once he could think straight. All he wanted to do was grab another chance to finish that kiss, but other matters were presenting themselves.

First and foremost was Tim, the poor lad. He clearly had abandonment issues; and the Doctor knew he was right to feel guilty about that. Three years was too long, and he couldn't eradicate that now; but he could try and make up for it.

That meant hugging Tim at every opportunity, despite Tim trying to shrug him off in this instance. "Come on, Tim; let Dad say he's sorry," he whispered at one point, and got the response he was hoping for. Hugging his son almost meant that he came to realise why Donna had jested that she was likely to get a paper cut from him that time; and he shared the thought and the resultant chuckle with Tim before they satisfied their obvious need to eat.

* * *

Lunchtime preparations were in full swing when Rose warily entered the kitchen and sat down at the table, worried that Donna or the Doctor would tell her off at any second. Donna was buttering bread, as if she had always done so in this kitchen, and the Doctor was moving about making a pot of tea. Within seconds the aroma of fresh tea being poured out filled the kitchen.

"What can I get you, Rose?" Donna then asked. "Is ham alright?"

"Yes please," Rose answered courteously. "Do you need any help?"

"No, I'm almost done, thanks," Donna replied.

Rose smiled her thanks as a sandwich and a mug of tea were placed in front of her. She slightly winced as Tim threw her a disdainful look but carried on eating his sandwich with gusto. Both the Doctor and Donna then joined them at the table and began to eat in comparative silence.

There was definitely something in the atmosphere of the room, making Rose feel extra guilty. "About that kiss…," she began to say, eager to excuse her actions.

"Don't worry about that," Donna quickly interrupted, fearful that Rose would lash out in some way at her for apparently muscling in on the Doctor. "It meant nothing."

"But Tim…" Rose tried again, wanting to explain why he had been upset and gone looking for his mum.

"Tim is okay about it now," interjected the Doctor. "Aren't you, Tim?" He had spent a lot of time trying to coax Tim into being less angry with him for touching Donna, saying he was only being friendly.

"Yes, Dad," Tim readily replied, speaking around a mouthful of crisps. As far as he was concerned all that had happened ages ago; although he didn't want Rose trying out any of that yucky nonsense on him again.

"I'm sorry, Rose. Did he run away from you?" Donna asked her, throwing Rose into a confused state.

"Yes, he did," she admitted. "But I thought he had run straight to you, so I didn't worry."

"That's the good thing about being in the TARDIS; I get told what's going on," the Doctor said smugly, although he didn't add the word 'generally' that ended that sentence in his head.

Rose realised that she sometimes forgot that aspect of living there. It had been a long time for her away from the TARDIS too, and being back didn't feel the same as it used to. And some of it didn't live up to her dreams and plans either. In fact certain aspects of it were quite cold and frosty now that she chose to examine them. Whereas some aspects, she noted as she looked at the Doctor and Donna sitting together, were far too chummy for her tastes.

What _had_ happened between them while she had been in Pete's World? And when exactly had the Doctor met Donna? She didn't know any of their backstory.

"They met at the wedding," Tim suddenly said to her, shocking Rose into silence.

"Tim, that isn't nice," the Doctor told him in warning. "You do not go into someone's mind without permission."

"He can read my mind?" Rose asked in shock. "But…"

"She wanted to know when you met," Tim defended himself. "So I told her."

"Tim!" the Doctor chastised him, and then took hold of his hand; giving it a squeeze. "I know you meant well but we have to be careful. People will get the wrong idea or get very upset with you."

"They do anyway," Tim mumbled. "I've been told I'm a freak _lots_ of times."

"Oh you poor thing!" Rose blurted out.

Tim threw her a hurt look. "I am not a thing; I am a person."

"A very special person," the Doctor stated proudly. "You helped to save the universe."

That was met with a broad smile. "I did, didn't I, Dad? And Mum is the most important person in creation."

"That she is," agreed the Doctor, flicking a proud gaze upon Donna. "I am doubly blessed."

It was on the tip of Rose's tongue to demand, "What about me?" as angry indignation threatened to overtake her. It wasn't as though she had sat still after all. She had fought her way across from the alternative universe to find the Doctor on several occasions.

But her opportunity was missed when Donna stood up abruptly, declaring, "Geroff! You'll be telling me next that you don't fancy some chocolate cake for afters."

"Ah, ah, ah! Now you know I'd never say that! Or have you forgotten my tastes already?" the Doctor playfully asked, waggling his index finger.

Donna mischievously dabbed him on the end of his nose. "As if I could ever forget what your tastes are! They got me soaked to the bone that time on Helias, and married to you on…"

"What!" Rose heard herself angrily shout out. She found herself standing with her hands pressing down in fury on the kitchen table top. "Did you say you two are married?"


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** I'm guessing at least seven parts for this story now, but I could be wrong. BUT I do feel really guilty for making Rose my 'villain' again (my angst seems to love her in that role; and I've worked through all the arguments) because I should be able to avoid that. I also toyed with deleting this whole story, but I want to just get it finished.

* * *

**Part 5**

.

The expressions of the three people in front of Rose froze; the previously playful mood cut dead in an instant.

"Well… when I say 'married'…," Donna stammered in explanation whilst wanting to punch herself for slipping up in such a way. "I mean…"

"What _do_ you mean?" Rose was still discernibly fuming.

The Doctor could see Tim getting visibly upset by this show of anger, and grasped his hand firmly. "Sit down, Rose. It was just a misunderstanding so stop making such a drama out of it."

Rose did as she was told and sat down before saying through clenched teeth, "Then tell me what you mean by 'married'?"

Donna gulped and desperately looked to the Doctor to explain things; she didn't want to be the one to get any flack for this one, even if she had accidentally set the situation up.

"It was just something that happened quite often to Donna and I," he said dismissively. "If people didn't think we were married then they were intent on getting us to marry. We had quite a few nice ceremonies."

"You what?" Rose ground out. "Why haven't you mentioned all this before?"

"To be fair, I was more than a little distracted when you reappeared back in this universe; and it had no bearing on what followed," the Doctor reasoned, sending Tim calming vibes.

"Mum looked pretty," Tim muttered, enjoying the shared memories. "I liked her in the Pularian dress the most."

"Ah, yes; that was very fetching," the Doctor agreed, wearing a whimsical smile.

"Never mind all that! Was your marriage legal on Earth?" Rose wanted to know.

"The question should be: is an Earth marriage legal on other planets?" the Doctor mused. "You are far too Earth-centric at times."

Rose being thrown off balanced by that remark gave Donna the chance to change the subject. "Talking of Earth, do we have to pre-warn Jack of our arrival?" she asked the Doctor.

"I suppose we could send him a little message first," he answered thoughtfully, and then moved his hand from covering Tim's to his arm. "How do you fancy helping me pilot the TARDIS to Torchwood, Tim?"

"Yes please, Dad!" he replied enthusiastically; and the pair of them started to saunter off towards the control room.

Donna affectionately watched Tim go and then began to hastily clear up their mess. She didn't want to upset the TARDIS as well as Rose, because that would be doubly stupid.

After a few seconds the Doctor poked his head around the door to ask, "Rose? Aren't you coming to help too, Donna?"

"We'll be there in a second," she answered, and waited a couple of moments after he left before adding to Rose, "I wanted to say something to you quickly before we go to Torchwood, Rose."

Rose frowned at her; waiting patiently to hear this declaration. "What did you want to say?"

Donna took a deep breath for courage. "I know we got off on the wrong foot, and I know you acted purely with the best of intentions for your relationship, so the fact is… I'm not after the Doctor so you can rest easy. All I care about is Tim and only Tim. I'm going to go to Torchwood, see what Jack has to offer with his alien technology and then go home again. If you can find it in your heart to accept Tim wanting to visit the Doctor every now and then I can die happy," she said.

"I don't know what to say," Rose admitted. She hadn't expected Donna to try and console her; although she had expected a denial. "You almost make it sound like you're going to die soon," she jested.

"That's alright." Donna smiled back at her. "And everything has its price."

Rose was just about to ask what she meant by that when Donna purposefully strode away from her, forcing Rose to follow.

* * *

Tim was given the task of opening the TARDIS doors. He proudly flung them open and took a deep lungful of sea air. "Are we there?" he asked brightly. Reaching behind him, he grabbed hold of Donna's hand and pulled her out with him in order to explore. "I'm back in Wales!" he declared.

"When did you come here?" Donna asked him in disbelief.

Tim held up his right hand and wiggled his fingers. "When I was young, remember," he answered. "Can I go and look at the fountain, Mum? Can I, please?"

"Go on," Donna encouraged him, and fondly watched him run up to the fountain and peer at it intently.

"It looks almost the same," Rose remarked as she left the TARDIS.

"Hang on…" Donna frowned in concentration as she swept her gaze over the vicinity. "Wasn't this place blown up?"

"Not the time nor the place," the Doctor said pointedly, clicking his teeth.

"Oh!" Donna exclaimed in realisation. "Timey whimey, eh?" She then looked across at Tim happily twirling his fingertips in the water fountain and wondered if he was the reason the Doctor had been absent during the dealings with the 456. It was a better reason than most. "What about Jack?" she asked in a concerned whisper.

The Doctor grimaced back at her. "Shall we go and see him?" he asked instead.

Rose beamed at this. At last they would meet someone on her side for a change. She had nothing against Donna and Tim personally apart from all this Time Family nonsense that was, quite frankly, starting to grate on her nerves! And the sooner it was all over and back to being her and the Doctor the better. "Jack!" she yelled out as she spotted him appear near them.

"Rose!" he greeted her, as she threw herself into his willing arms and hugged enthusiastically.

Jack then released her and inevitably went for the Doctor. "Where have you been for the last eight months?" he asked him with a slight accusation in his voice.

"Oh, you know, here and there," the Doctor cagily answered.

"Should I be expecting an invasion?" Jack asked.

"Only of the Time Lord kind," the Doctor answered pleasantly. "Speaking of which, you might remember these two people." He then gestured towards Donna and Tim, who stood waiting for their greeting.

"Hello again, Jack," Donna said, and automatically held out her arms so that he couldn't refuse to hug her this time. "This scallywag is my son, Tim."

Jack reached out an arm towards Tim before asking in confusion, "Your son? Is that what you decided on?"

Tim shyly let Jack briefly hug him as the Doctor explained, "It made sense, especially after what happened to him. I'll come straight to the point; I need your help to fix something that went wrong."

Gleefully Jack swept his gaze over the four of them. "In that case you'd better come into my office. Follow me."

He led them down through the tourist office since the lift would have been a bit cramped; and there was something about this Tim that made him wary of risking anything like that.

The trip down through the ex-railway station was very scary for Tim. He held onto Donna's hand like it was the only thing stopping him from falling into a deep pit. Several times she had to stop and console him that they were not about to be eaten by some hideous creature.

Despite all that, by the time they were faced with the remnants of the Dalek destruction Tim was quivering. "Please, Doctor; can you help him?" Donna whispered to him as surreptitiously as she could. "He's not going to last long down here if you don't."

"We won't be a second!" the Doctor called out to Jack, as Jack forged ahead with Rose at his heels. "It's okay, Tim," he softly crooned to his son, and cradled his head. "That's it; just let it drain away. Everything else is behind us in the past."

"No monsters?" Tim asked pathetically.

"Not anymore," the Doctor replied, rewarding him with a smile. Taking hold of Tim's hand, he led him into the heart of the Hub.

* * *

Jack had kindly offered to let Tim and Donna sit in his office while he showed the Doctor and Rose the alien artefact storeroom. The Doctor perused the space with a mixture of rapture and disapproval before bouncing forward to touch and explore various items. "I can see some items that will be of use to me," he eventually remarked to Jack. "There is one particularly item that I might have to access through your computer system. Is that alright?"

"Sure!" Jack agreed. "Anything for you." He then gently took an item from out of Rose's questing hands. "Not that one, beautiful, unless you fancy aging at a rapid rate."

She smiled her gratitude, but was miffed that the Doctor seemed distracted and then strode off.

She followed him, and caught him up as he stood listening outside Jack's office. He was focused on Donna showing something to Tim, who was equally attentive.

Pointing to the computer screen in front of her, Donna told Tim, "See her, that's my oldest cousin, Molly. She married Arthur Weasley and had seven kids, would you believe! I haven't seen her in years. I think their eldest, Bill, is about the same age as me." Suddenly aware they were being watched they both looked up and saw the Doctor smiling at them in amusement. "What? What have I done wrong now?" she demanded to know. "I was only showing Tim my family."

"Nothing wrong!" he immediately replied. "It's just… you're related to the Weasleys."

"And?" she queried, forming a stroppy pose. "Is there a law against that, Sunshine?"

He shook his head. "There are special laws, but nothing against that as far as I know," he said mysteriously. "In fact I think it is rather brilliant."

Tim grinned with pride.


	6. Chapter 6

**Part 6**

.

Donna waved the complimenting comment away. "Never mind all that, did you find what you were looking for down in the dungeon?" She then hastily grabbed Tim by the arm to say, "There is no dungeon, darling; I'm just making a joke."

"I know, Mum," he replied. "I'm not stupid. But I think Dad needs you budge up."

"You can sit down next to me, you prawn! Just say the word and I'll move," she said to the Doctor as she made room for him to sit by her.

"Rumpelstiltskin," he tried out on her; and she swatted his arm for him.

"Are you trying to get a fat lip?" she threatened him.

The Doctor opened his mouth as though he were going to comment and then relented. "No, I'm not going near any answer with the word 'fat' in it."

Tim giggled to the side of them. "How are you going to top that, Mum?" he asked gleefully.

"I'm not sure I'll bother," she admitted as they sat watching the Doctor use his sonic screwdriver to whizz through information. "That is classed as cheating, you know. Some of us use our typing skills."

"And some of us use our brain," the Doctor countered, keeping his eyes fixed on the screen. "Ah! Just what I wanted to find. Thank you, computer!"

"Your father is such a billy no mates he has resorted to talking to inanimate objects. It's a shame really when you think about it," Donna remarked to Tim.

"He's not on his own; he's got me," Rose stepped into the scene to defend the Doctor.

"Yes, of course," Donna merely answered.

"Donna, do you remember the stone tablets we saw in the pod?" the Doctor asked, breaking the awkward silence that had settled on the room. "I think I might have found them, but it will mean a quick trip in the TARDIS to go and get them."

"So you want us all to traipse back up through that tunnel to get to the TARDIS?" she questioned him, hoping he'd twig that she didn't want a repeat of Tim's panicky descent to the Hub.

"Good point," he answered thoughtfully. "Tim, would you like to stay here and let Jack show you a few things while we pop off for a moment?"

Rose covered a laugh with her hands and the Doctor glared at her.

"I'll stay here with Tim while you go," Donna quickly offered, "if that'll make things easier."

"No, I need you with me because you know what I'm looking for," the Doctor argued. "And Jack has a lovely box full of Trimentium artefacts for Tim to play with."

Tim brightened at the mention of the box of goodies and couldn't wait to start exploring.

* * *

The time alone with Tim hadn't been too bad for Jack because the Doctor had been true to his word and returned quite quickly; made all the faster because the Torchwood defence shields had been lowered to allow the TARDIS to land directly within the Hub this time. After that the Doctor had set about rigging up pieces of equipment mangled together to form whatever it was he had mentally designed. It was truly a heath robinson concoction.

Jack knew just the thing to entertain and distract Tim for a while, so Jack coaxed Tim to follow him into his office and pulled out a box from under his desk. Lifting the box and its contents for a closer examination, a soft mewl escaped its confines and Jack got just the reaction he wanted.

"Oh look! A kitten in a basket!" Tim squealed with excitement.

Jack took it out and held the small creature up towards Tim as an offering. "How do you fancy being it's dad for a while?"

Tim stepped back, plainly not liking the idea. "No, thank you," he replied.

So Jack waved the kitten closer, watching Tim's eyes follow his movements. "Go on! You know you want to. He needs someone to look after him; there's no one else."

Tim tentatively put out a hand and stroked the kitten's head. "No one?" he queried, gazing at Jack with his large soulful eyes.

It was no good; Jack felt himself melt under that gaze. He'd have done anything for the boy in that moment. "No one at all," he answered softly.

"I'd much rather be his mum," Tim told him as he took the kitten from Jack's grasp and into his tender care. "Mums stick around and love you no matter what. They bring you your favourite food when you are ill and kiss away the things that make you cry."

How could Jack react to that without filling up? He gave a manly cough as he saw Tim rub his face against the kitten's head. "You are very lucky to have such a mum. What do dads do?"

All Tim's attention was on stroking his kitten as gently as possible; just as Gramps had taught him to. "Dads are… I don't know. I think they are meant to come home from work and moan at you, or stay away without seeing you. On the telly they are always stupid and have to buy their wife presents because of it." He then lifted his head to ask Jack, "Mum said you've been a dad. What were you like?"

Jack was surprised Donna had ever mentioned him, let alone knew that information. "Looking back I would have said I was more of the staying away type of dad. My daughter, Alice, was very angry with me about it."

"Why do dads stay away?" Tim asked without judgement.

"It wasn't a matter of not loving my daughter; I was trying to protect her by staying away," Jack tried to explain.

Tim frowned at him in confusion. "I don't understand."

"I don't suppose you would, buddy," Jack replied, giving Tim a pat on the back in consolation. "I attract a lot of trouble, and I didn't want any of that trouble to find Alice. You really ought to ask your old man why he stayed away."

"I can't ask Dad that," Tim confessed; the sound of threatening tears clear in his voice. "He might send me away again."

Staying close with a comforting arm, Jack asked, "Why do you think he sent you away last time?"

Tim sniffed back a sob. "Dad prefers Rose, but Rose doesn't like me and Mum very much. She tried to be nice to me this morning, but I don't want her to touch me like that. She scared me and it wasn't nice. Mum said I wasn't to allow anything…"

Tears were dribbling down his cheeks now, and Jack was at a loss as to what sort of comfort he should offer. Reaching over his desk, he pressed a buzzer that would set off an alarm, hoping that Donna or the Doctor would come running.

Unfortunately the nearest person was Rose. "Are we being attacked?" she asked as she rushed in, and then slowed when she spotted Tim despondently cuddling the kitten. "What on earth is wrong with him now?" she demanded. "All he has done is get upset."

"Rose, you are not helping matters," Jack warned her.

"Stay away from me!" Tim said defiantly to Rose.

"Don't worry; I plan to!" she snapped back defensibly. "The Doctor will fix you up, dump you back in Chiswick with your so-called mother, and then we will be back to flying off in the TARDIS, so you needn't get upset anymore," Rose practically crowed.

Of course Tim focused in on one piece of information. "He's leaving me? But he…" Tim then drew in a very deep breath and handed the kitten back to a very bewildered Jack. "Thank you for letting me be a dad to your kitten, and thank you for letting me see where you work. I'd better go and find Mum, and erm…" He was carefully manoeuvring himself out of the room and around Rose, who he obviously saw as a threat.

"Tim, wait here for Donna," Jack tried to entice him; but Tim ran as soon as he got to the doorway. He ran with all his might to get away from there. "Oh hell! Thanks Rose!" Jack exclaimed, plonking the kitten back into its basket in the box, and gave chase.

As Jack reached the bottom of the steps leading from his office he was caught by the Doctor. "What's wrong? What happened?" he wanted to know.

"It's Tim, he's very upset," Jack started to explain.

The Doctor demanded, "What caused that?"

"Rose told him about your plan to leave him back in Chiswick with Donna," Jack threw at him. "And now he's gone racing off to hide. I have no idea how you are going to fix this little problem because you have broken his heart."

"Find Donna and tell her. I'll join you in a minute." Then to Jack's shock, the Doctor stormed into his office and slammed the door.

Rose was bent low petting the kitten when he entered the room, and looked up to ask, "Have you found him yet?"

He practically seethed. "No! What were you thinking? Do you not understand the damage you have caused Tim?"

"I wasn't being mean when I told Tim you'd be sending him away again. He needed to know because he was obviously under the impression you were going to let him stay," she defended herself. "Cameras!" Rose suddenly exclaimed. "There are bound to be CCTV cameras we can use to find Tim, Doctor," she suggested.

"Hmm," he merely replied and leapt over to the terminal again to punch in information. "Hah!" he declared as he finished scanning through various images and zoomed in on someone who was obviously Tim. His face fell as he saw how downhearted Tim looked until comfort arrived. Keeping his attention on the screen, the Doctor turned up the volume and listened to their conversation.

After some minutes, the Doctor fell back in the chair he was seated in with his hands clamped over his stubble. "I need to talk to him," he said to no one in particular, and made to stand up.

"Doctor…?" Rose began to ask where he was going.

"Stay here!" he sharply ordered her, and disappeared out of the room.

So she sadly resumed watching the screen. Tears streamed down her face as she tried to work out exactly what the information she had just heard meant.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** here is the overheard conversation

* * *

**Part 7**

.

Tim lay huddled in a corner he had found between a filing cabinet and a cardboard box full of office supplies. He couldn't explain it but those items seemed to be the friendliest ones in the Hub. Wrapping himself tightly up into a ball he finally allowed himself to cry. Coming up with a plan, he decided he liked Jack and would ask him to be his dad when he got home to Chiswick. He knew his mum liked Jack, so that wasn't a problem, and Jack had been very kind to him so perhaps he would get to see the kitten again too. Thoughts of his mum made him wish he hadn't messed things up for her. She'd been so happy to return to the TARDIS, and he'd blown it by making his dad reject him; not that he understood what he had done that was so wrong. Perhaps he was just unlovable? Perhaps his dad wanted his sister Jenny instead, like Jack had loved his daughter Alice?

All these various thoughts whirled round and around in his head, making no sense and only upsetting him more.

"Tim?" came the soft question of apprehension.

The sound of Donna's voice halted the voices in his head; and he managed to swallow down enough sobs to answer, "Mum! Dad doesn't like me… he's sending me…"

Her arms were instantly around him, trying to sooth him. "Oh, my poor baby! How can anyone not like you? In fact I'm sure he more than likes you. Shh, shh, shh!" she cooed at Tim as she sought to comfort him. "Whatever gave you the idea he doesn't like you?"

"Rose said…" His voice broke with emotion, and he let Donna hug him more firmly.

She kissed his head. "I know the answer to this one. It isn't you, sweetheart, that's the problem; it's me. I'm getting in the way of your dad and Rose being together."

"It isn't me?" he queried.

"No, definitely not," she confirmed. "When you are better I'll ask your dad if you can go and stay with him for a while."

"I won't want to," he insisted, giving a little sniff.

She smiled encouragingly at him. "You'll feel differently then, and you won't need me so much. Instead you will want to explore the stars, and you can bring a little bit of them home for me."

"But you'll miss out," he replied. "You won't get to see them if I do that."

"If you get back there it will be worth it; anything will be worth it," she told him.

"Mum, will you be in the stars too by then?" He reached up to tenderly touch her head. "Shouldn't we get Dad to take it away for you?"

She shook her head fervently. "No, sweetheart. This trip is for you, not me." She shifted slightly. "I don't know about you but my bum is protesting about this cold floor. How about you go wash your face and then we'll see if your dad is ready for you yet."

Tim managed to smirk. "Okay, Mum. Onwards?" he asked, and they clambered up off the floor. "I'll meet you by Jack's office," he flung at her as he raced off to rinse his face of any evidence.

Donna couldn't help thinking that he had inherited her sense of pride; and then she heard someone move nearby. "As if the cameras weren't enough… How long have you been listening?" she asked.

"Enough to hear you're not well," admitted Jack as he entered the room. "Does the Doctor know?"

"No, and I don't want him to. Not yet anyway. I just want Tim to be dealt with," she confessed, suddenly feeling extremely tired; enough to stagger slightly. "It's been a long day. Perhaps I should go and lie down in the TARDIS for a while," she said in a small voice, bringing a hand up to cover her eyes.

"Are you in pain, Donna?" Jack asked with concern.

"Nothing I can't handle," she said as nonchalantly as she could; but Jack had guessed otherwise. "It comes and goes."

"Why don't I help you go and lie down, and you can tell me all about it," he offered, holding out his arm in invitation.

She wrapped her arm around his. "You drive a hard bargain, Jack. Thank you though."

They smiled an unspoken pact between them and made off to provide a much needed rest. As they walked Jack asked, "How do you get away with calling Tim your son? If you don't mind me asking…?"

"No, I don't mind," she said, touching Jack's arm briefly with her other hand. "It's quite simple really. I tell people I married a man much older than me and Tim is his son. It's not exactly a lie, is it? I even searched through the files UNIT has online once and found an image of the Doctor in his third incarnation. From that info I can truthfully say he was Dr Noble because that was a name he used back then." She then added as an afterthought, "He wasn't too bad looking for an old bloke as his third self."

Jack chuckled. "I've seen the images and I know what you mean. How do you explain why you've got Tim?"

"Truthfully? I say my husband did the best thing he could ever do by letting me have Tim; and that he's gone off with a younger new woman who doesn't want to cope with Tim. Strangely enough nobody has any problem believing that one," she tried to joke, gaining a smile from Jack.

"You made yourself married to him though," he said, nudging her playfully; and then stopped when she blushed.

"We erm… we were married; several times. And I never took it too seriously until the metacrisis happened because I gained something that I shouldn't have done, all by accident." She then thought to add, "Rose wasn't too pleased when she found out."

"Was that why you left the TARDIS?" Jack asked Donna. "You seemed so happy there."

"I was," she readily admitted. "But some things aren't meant to be, you know that. The Doctor had done nothing but go on about Rose for quite a while, so when she reappeared I had to give him that chance of happiness with her. We'd talked it through together, me and Tim; it wasn't just some impulsive whim to leave. He knew the risks before we left."

Jack looked thoughtful. "What really prompted the decision?"

She sighed heavily before replying, "We could see the timelines, of what could be, what can't and what must not. One of them was Tim being left with Rose in the alternative universe. He didn't want to be left with someone who was clearly in love with someone else, and I would not have survived it if he left me. I would have had to have my memory wiped to save my life."

"Oh my god!" Jack exclaimed compassionately.

"I wasn't going to get my forever on the TARDIS whatever happened," she said forlornly. "By leaving with Tim he got a choice, and the Doctor could be with the woman he wanted."

"And what about you?" he softly asked. "What did you get out of it?"

"Me? I got lots of headaches and my memories. Well, I suffered because of the bond being broken, but Tim suffered much more by losing the TARDIS and stopping my mind burning up. You should have seen him, Jack; he was so brave, so impressive," her voice wavered proudly and sadly as she told him this. "But I didn't do too badly in the end; I got a piece of the Doctor in Tim. So I suppose you can say I get to stay with him until I die after all."

* * *

"There you are!" the Doctor greeted the appearance of a refreshed Tim with relief.

"Sorry, Dad," Tim answered meekly, not knowing whether this was good or bad. "I had to use the bathroom."

"Come here," the Doctor fondly commanded, opening his arms in invitation; and Tim flung himself into the embrace. They hugged for several moments until the Doctor pushed him slightly away in order to say, "I want you to know I am not sending you anywhere that you don't want to go."

Tim blinked in confusion, using the full kicked puppy look on the Doctor. "Are you sure? Cos Rose said…"

"Rose got the wrong end of the stick, I'm afraid. There is no way I will abandon you, Tim Noble. Not now, not ever," the Doctor promised.

"Oh Dad!" Tim cried happily. "I love you."

Feeling slightly embarrassed at this abundant display of affection, the Doctor asked him, "Care to try this out for size for me?" And the pair of them diverted their attention onto the machine the Doctor had almost finished creating.

* * *

"Where's Mum?" Tim instantly asked Jack as he appeared back in the main part of the Hub a short time later.

"She's gone to have a lie down. It's been a long day and she's feeling a bit tired," Jack cagily supplied. He had left Donna lying in her bed having supervised the taking of her painkilling medication; and having repeated his promise not to mention her suffering to the Doctor.

Tim paled and made to race off. "Where are you going?" the Doctor demanded around a mouthful of wires. "We're almost ready to start."

"I'm going to see Mum. She needs me when her head hurts; I have to go lie with her," Tim answered, throwing the words over his shoulder. "Won't be long!"

He quickly made his way into the TARDIS and found his bedroom without any problem whatsoever. The TARDIS seemed keen for him to get there, and had not only dimmed the lights for Donna but was also softly singing to her. Tim climbed onto the bed beside Donna and spooned into the back of her, placing a protective arm around her waist. "I'm here, Mum," he whispered into her ear, and placed a tender kiss on her cheek. "It's alright, you'll soon feel better."

Donna fondly patted his hand resting on her stomach. "Thank you, darling. I'm always better with you," she agreed weakly, and soon fell asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N2:** Rose is still being my 'villain' I'm afraid. I'm not sure anyone is going to like this part.

* * *

**Part 8**

.

Only when he felt sure Donna was okay and sleeping soundly did Tim leave her side and head back to where his father was waiting patiently. Well, as patiently as he was ever likely to be.

"Tim, I need you to sit in the chair while I adjust the machine around you," the Doctor explained apologetically. "I'll be as quick as I can. I promise."

Tim bravely climbed onto the chair and allowed himself to be strapped to it. "When you do it will it hurt?" he asked in a small voice. "Can Mum hold my hand?"

"I won't lie to you, Tim; it might hurt quite a lot. And Donna won't be able to keep hold of you. Shall I let you go to sleep instead?" the Doctor offered.

"Like Suzette's pug, Thomson?" Tim apprehensively wondered.

"Why? What happened to Suzette's pug?" the Doctor asked in confusion; and didn't miss the tears that once again threatened in Tim's eyes.

"A horrible man in a black car ran Thomson over; and he screamed and screamed!" Tim recalled. "Gramps wrapped him in a blanket so that she could take him to the vet's. Gramps said the vet put him to sleep," he finished forlornly.

The Doctor lovingly caressed Tim's cheek. "I'd never do that to you," he assured him, getting the relieved smile he wanted.

"Did you need this, Doctor?" Rose stood offering the Doctor a set of wires contained within a loom.

The Doctor saw how Tim flinched whenever Rose walked near him, so he switched tactics. "Rose, keep that over there under that desk lamp until I tell you otherwise. Jack, would you come and hold this," he requested. Jack readily jumped forward from where he had been dealing with the power supply and held the contraption that would hold a drip feed containing the last important element.

The Doctor fiddled about with the setting on the biochemical feed, using a sedative as a guinea pig. "This will make you a bit drowsy, Tim, but don't worry; I'm not going to do anything to you properly until Donna wakes up."

"Okay," Tim responded, already sounding groggy. "Mum mustn't miss it. She said she'd come back and haunt me if she did."

Jack chuckled before he could help himself. "I believe she would," he commented.

The Doctor adjusted a dial. "Does that hurt, Tim?"

"No," Tim answered; his voice barely there.

"Rose, stay back please," the Doctor cut in as Rose leaned in to get a closer look.

Tim winced in the chair. "Don't want another kiss," he slurred. "Don't want to play that game no more."

There was an infinitesimal smirk on Rose's face that the Doctor caught sight of before her visage returned to being deadpan. He could not ignore it because Jack suddenly looked very concerned as his gaze went between Rose and Tim.

"Can you hear me, Tim?" he asked, and received no discernible reply. He carefully enclosed Tim within the machine, making sure the door was sealed, before beginning his line of questioning. "Okay, Jack; tell me what you know about that remark."

Jack fought with his inner loyalties, but decided that Tim needed protecting the most. "Tim told me earlier that Rose had tried to be friendly but she had done something to him he didn't like. In fact that was when he got really upset and I pressed the buzzer," he explained.

"Rose?" The Doctor turned his attention on to her. "What did you do to Tim?"

"Nothing really," she defended herself. "I was being nice to him like you told me to, played a game of pretend with him, and he sort of… he kissed me."

"What?" the Doctor protested. "Why would he do that?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Rose countered, feeling she ought to use this opportunity to excuse herself and blot Tim's copybook with the Doctor. That way she would not have to act like some surrogate mother to him in the future.

The Doctor danced about in his anger, grabbing at tufts of hair in his frustration. "No he didn't kiss you! Oh I am so _stupid!_ Are you mad? I know he didn't kiss you because Tim doesn't feel that way about you."

She huffed indignantly. "How do you know he doesn't? I'm sure he fancies me," Rose insisted.

Jack could not believe what he was hearing. Surely Rose didn't really believe that?

The Doctor went exceptionally calm as he said, "Tim is incapable of fancying anyone. That part of his brain was smashed to smithereens. Did you not listen to what I'd told you?"

"I tried to but it was all gobbledegook, what with all the brain parts talk and everything," she admitted reluctantly. "All I got was that he's not all there and he has this weird mother fixation on Donna."

The Doctor's expression turned extremely grim. "Tim has some of Donna's DNA as well as mine; that is why we deem him _our_ son. I should not have to keep explaining this to you, Rose. She has continuously looked after him since his existence; giving up her last chance to have a baby of her own for him. I do not see that as weird."

Rose scoffed. "Last chance! That one went years ago, long before…" She gasped loudly as the Doctor stepped into her personal space.

"I am warning you just the one time: do not say such things about Donna," he said icily.

"Look I know you feel guilty but you've got me, remember, and you don't need her around to keep you company anymore. As for Tim, well, I don't see why he can't come and visit us every now and then," she tried to reason.

"Is that so you can practise your kissing technique on him?" the Doctor spat out.

"Are you jealous? I believe you are, Doctor!" Rose tried to say coquettishly.

"Jealous is not the word I would choose." He regarded her sadly. "Did Tim have any say in this kiss?"

She shrugged slightly. "I'm not sure."

The Doctor bit down on his anger. "I'll take that as a 'no' shall I? What is wrong with you lately? You never used to be this way," he pondered testily.

Jack could offer a possible reason why, but instead he kept quiet, keeping a careful eye on Tim.

"Me? It's you that has changed, Doctor!" Rose raged. "Have you already forgotten that you died for me? We had a wonderful time together before I almost fell into the Void; and then when I fight my way through several dimensions to get to your side I get little more than a hug. What happened to our love if you think you can get away with only that?" Her eyes were blazing with outright indignation now, having obviously bottled this up. "And then, to top it all, Donna and… _him_... turn up out of the blue and they are all you can talk about. It's as if I don't exist anymore!"

"Do you want me to leave?" Jack offered the Doctor, trying to disassociate himself from the growing argument in front of him.

The Doctor held out a hand. "No, stay please," he answered, indicating slightly towards Tim. "Our love?" he queried as he returned his attention to Rose. "I have made no such declaration."

Her hand flew to cover her mouth in anguish. "But… I told you on that beach you called me to in Norway that I loved you and you said it back," she cried.

"I…" He stood stunned, not knowing how to extract himself from this moment. "I never actually said it."

"You were going to," she insisted.

"Who knows what I might have said if that star had held up. I was distraught, and within seconds Donna…" He stopped talking as Rose's face turned to thunder.

"What did Donna do?" she asked tightly through gritted teeth.

"She turned up in the TARDIS," he answered as vaguely as he could. "The point is that I cannot return your declaration, Rose."

Rose sniffed loudly. "Why not?"

The Doctor moved back to the machine. "Jack, would you help me get Tim out of this?"

As Jack went to assist the Doctor, Rose cried out, "Tell me! Why can't you say you love me, Doctor? Why, after all I've been through to find you?"

"Why? Several reasons, Rose. Because things changed in the meantime. Because when you did that dimension jumping you created a problem that had to be paid for. Because I have other responsibilities, and I forgot that for a while. Because I cannot ignore the bond that tears at my heart anymore, stopping me from being what you want me to be. Because to do so would break every single code of conduct that I live by," he said sharply. "In short, Rose Tyler, because I already have a wife."

"A wife?" Rose echoed tearfully as she stumbled back from him in shock. "I don't understand. How can you have a bond and a wife? You've never mentioned anything about a wife."

"Mum?" Tim groaned groggily, trying to climb out of the chair he was in and letting the Doctor help him.

"No!" Rose exclaimed, wanting to deny the thought. "I thought that was a cruel joke you and Donna made up to rile me. Tell me it isn't true."

The Doctor stood holding up a dazed Tim. "I'm sorry, Rose, but it is far from being a joke. You've already witnessed how serious it is."

Rose let her mouth open and shut a few times as words escaped her. Not knowing what to do, she turned on her heel and raced to her bedroom in the TARDIS.

"Shall I go after her, Doctor?" Jack asked, wondering where Rose lay in his affections now.

With a tired sigh, the Doctor replied, "Let her go, Jack. She has a decision to make."


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** the ending of this part won't shock you in the slightest (assuming someone is still reading this, obviously).

* * *

**Part 9**

.

Donna slept peacefully on, surrounded by loving vibes that helped ease away the pain in her head. The TARDIS was still singing to her as she woke. Stretching out the arm she'd been laying on, Donna mentally thanked the TARDIS for looking over her and not letting her sleep too long; she'd hate to miss seeing Tim go through his treatment. "I didn't think you'd still be here," she said as she turned over to greet Tim. She drew in a sharp breath when she found herself facing the Doctor instead. "What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded and shuffled away from him.

"Waiting for you to wake up," he answered, as though it was the stupidest question in the world.

"Don't play the innocent with me, Time boy!" she admonished him. "You don't normally do this sort of thing, and your girlfriend would have a pink fit if she knew you were in here. So why don't you just come out and tell me what you are playing at?"

He sighed resignedly. "Donna! Why didn't you say anything to me?" he softly pleaded.

"About what? I am allowed to get tired, you know. I'm more than a bit out of practise with running about with you," she snapped in defence.

"Donna, I know," he said more steadily. "You've been having terrible migraines, caused by the aftermath of the metacrisis. I quizzed Tim about it, and he is _extremely_ worried about you. He said you've had scans and they'd found a tumour. I'm sorry; so sorry. I could see you weren't feeling right but I'd put it down to stress. Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Because honestly, what was the point? All the doctors had said it was inoperable, that it was only a matter of time before things began to drastically slide. I can feel it throttling my thoughts and tripping me up in other ways. And I am so sick of hospitals after everything with Tim and me. So while I could still do it, I appealed to the TARDIS to send you for Tim; and she did. You turned up." She gave a nonchalant shrug of her shoulders and got up to pace about the small space in the room. "Now you know all that you can get on with fixing Tim."

"It isn't as simple as that," he argued.

"Yes it is!" she countered. "I begged you once and I'd do it again if necessary. Fix Tim."

He got up off the bed and stood in her way so that she had to stop pacing or walk right through him. "But you might die…"

She threw up her hands in anger. "Then I die. It's no biggie."

He stared at her incredulously. "And what about me, Donna? Don't I have a say in all this?" he asked as he edged closer.

She stepped back. "Since when did I have to worry about that? You say what you want anyway without my permission or acknowledgement. Oh no! You can't make me change my mind with this one."

"Then let me say goodbye," he implored, stepping nearer. "Please."

She was about to ask how he was going to do so when his lips were suddenly crushed onto hers, stealing a heartfelt kiss.

Despite all her best efforts to fight off his 'attack', Donna found herself enjoying the feel of the Doctor's lips upon hers. The way he moved delicately, using tiny increments of pressure, tasting and teasing her in equal parts. Not only did she enjoy it; she started to reciprocate. Her hands worked their way up into his hair, luxuriating in the feel of him crushed against her body. He was holding her head in place with a firm grip, but he was also moulding her body onto him, edging his hand over her bottom with far more confidence than should have been allowable.

It had started out as a small kiss goodbye to a dear departing friend for the Doctor; hadn't meant to be more than a fond farewell. But as he grasped her to him, had placed his lips upon hers and tried to express how much he would miss her, the kiss had morphed into something else. His senses had suddenly been flooded with her Time Lord mind; but it had been even more than that. Donna was a partial Time Lord now, it had become part of who she was over the time she had been away from him; and he could feel that part of her reach out and intensify along the bond they had formed when she had gone through the metacrisis. All that confusion and emotional numbness he had been experiencing was wiped away in a flash; and he finally felt whole as though he had returned home. No, scrub that. The fact was home had returned to him and he had not been aware of its absence because he had been unable to feel anything before he had stepped out of the TARDIS and spoken to Donna. He had thought it had been solely Tim reaching out to him with his futile cognitive efforts, but he was wrong. So wrong. Everything was crystal clear now and he knew what he had to do; what _had_ to be done.

"Oh Donna!" he groaned next to her lips, and changed the angle of his descent so that he could gain full access to her mouth in order to slide his tongue across every possible nuance; feasting, sucking and devouring her whilst eliciting happy sighs.

Goodness knew how long they clung together in their ecstatic bubble of pleasure. There was a growing surge and then explosively the near-nudge of his mind that she had been feeling became a roar of emotions, thoughts and feelings.

Donna shivered and trembled under the onslaught as though an orgasmic experience had occurred. Her legs muscles gave out, and he had to catch her in order to stop her from nose-diving to the floor.

He laughed with delight, and she swatted his arm for his cheek.

_I've missed you so much, my wife. Let me fix this_, the Doctor's voice begged in her head.

"Did you just…? You did! You did the same trick you did on the Ood Sphere," she said in shock. "How did you do that?" Seeing his exasperated expression of disbelief, she quickly added, "Okay, I know how you did it, but I don't understand why you did."

"Donna!" he huffed. "I have just been explaining to Rose that we are married in more than one way."

"You and Rose are married?" she exclaimed.

"Give me strength… I had to explain that you and I are married; and as such meant that I cannot return Rose's obvious affection," he stated as clearly as he could.

"Why would you go and do that, for goodness sake? You pined after her something chronic when I first met you. Why are you throwing her aside now?" Donna loudly wondered.

The Doctor threw up his hands in despair. "Oh for the love of…!" He took a firm hold of both her hands. "I seem to have a communication problem today. Remember us getting married? That we bonded during the metacrisis? And then we kissed earlier? Ringing any bells?"

"Don't get clever with me, Sunshine! You can get around anything if you want to. I know because I've seen you do it," Donna insisted. "You were running away from me and _towards_ Rose before all the metacrisis business; and then you chose to keep her with you in the TARDIS, so it wasn't as though you weren't pleased to see her."

"Yes," he testily agreed. "I had lost her in a horrible way, and I was keen to meet her again."

"There you are then!" she said smugly. "That proves my point."

"What point exactly?" he questioned.

"My point, dear husband," she began sarkily, "is that you were forced into our bond. Given half the chance you'd have scarpered as quick as you like. And coming in here to experiment on me in the way you just did is below you."

He released her hands, almost pushing her away in his need to retaliate. "What are you accusing me of now?"

She prodded a finger in his direction. "Excuse me! You come in here while I'm sleeping… not for the first time I might add and don't think you've got away without me knowing in the past…, lying in wait for me to wake up before you attempt to grope my bum, and then you have the cheek to act as though _I'm_ the idiot!"

"Donna…"

"If you think I'm going to believe every single word that comes out of your mouth you've got another think coming; especially if you are going to sexually accost me whenever it takes your fancy," she continued.

"Donna…!"

"And let me tell you; I am not here purely for your entertainment," she argued.

"A fact I am well aware of," he grumbled. "As it is I had to stop Tim from jumping all over you with his news."

"So I gather. You wanted to jump all over me yourself." She fixed him with a beady glare.

"Look, I know you are determined to get the wrong end of the stick about my intentions, but I came in to tell you that I'm ready to start Tim's treatment," he told her, fighting off the guilt she elicited in him.

"Hah! You just proved what I've been saying all along, Time boy. You came in to do one thing and ended up doing another."

"I didn't say it was the sole reason I came in to see you, did I? I can't get a moment alone with you to say anything personal, and as it is I had to send Tim off with Jack to choose kitten toys," he contended.

"Kitten toys? Are we talking toys for a kitten or toys that are kittens?" she queried. Getting a sheepish look from him, she pressed on with, "What have you done? You've gone and promised him a kitten, haven't you? I don't believe it! I have spent the last three years evading every single request for a pet; I put him near you and the next thing I know I've got to cope with a bloody kitten. Thank you very much!"

He tried to appease her. "Donna, sweetheart, he needs to have a pet to love. You yourself had a dog for a while."

"And I gave him up when Lance came on the scene!" she seethed. "I could kill you right now for doing this to me. It's yet another thing to add to the list."

"What list? How have I slighted you?" He was advancing on her again.

"Don't get me started!" She began to count the list off on her fingers. "One: your girlfriend takes umbrage against me. Two: the metacrisis happened to my brain. Three: to rescue Tim from your God-awful plan to dump him I took him with me out of the TARDIS. Four: you managed to complete miss and ignore my phone calls when I tried to contact you about Tim. Five: your girlfriend acts like Tim and me are a bad smell and you fail to notice. Six: you prance into my room and sprawl all over my bed while I'm sleep. And seven: you not only pretend it is only a goodbye kiss you then go on to say we are bonded, like proper Gallifreyan-type bonded."

"Have you finished?" he demanded, having backed her up tightly against the wall and gained a nod of agreement. "Then that leaves me to say how much I'm sorry, and this…"

In hindsight this passionate kiss was inevitable too.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** have I finally finished? Have I? Nope. One more part... I think.

**Warning:** this contains a couple of swear words said in anger.

* * *

**Part 10**

.

They had started up against the wall, but they gradually made their way across to a more comfortable surface; until eventually they lay almost panting with the exertion of their actions and high on the adrenaline rush it had caused.

"There's something I have to tell you, Donna Noble, something that is hard for me to say; partly because I know you won't believe any compliment I say without proof," he told her. He brought his hands up to the contact points of her head. "Can I show you? That way I shall save myself hours of arguing with you."

"I thought you liked arguing," she countered; letting him rest his fingers on her face.

"Well… it depends who I'm arguing with and what it's about. Although I discovered I like some of the after effects with you," he confessed; and got swatted on the arm again. "Are you ready for this?"

"Get on with it, Spaceman," she instantly replied.

He smirked. "Just imagine a door…"

"Too bloody late for all that secrecy stuff between us," she interrupted him. "Just do it!"

"You say the sexiest things," he saucily remarked.

The next thing Donna knew they were falling into each other's minds, in a way that was both very familiar and equally weird. They shared all her experiences fighting for Tim to have a near normal life as so many people tried to reject him; the utter joy he had brought into her life; the arguments she had continued to have with her mother; her fears she had kept hidden away from everyone; and finally her shining love for Tim, for being who he was and for being her connection to the Doctor.

She never had the chance to feel any embarrassment about that because he quickly showed her how often he had thought about her; how much he had denied his attraction for her; his fear of frightening her away; his distress when she had walked away from him that fateful day, thinking she had and would never care for him in that way; his delight, anguish and then guilt when he found her again; his deep love for Tim as his son, as their son; and his relinquish of guilt towards Rose when he realised that he wanted Donna to complete their forged bond. He hadn't regretted the bond for one second, and had in fact been secretly delighted.

She gasped and drew back from their contact. "You love me! You genuinely love!" she said in shock. "And all this time."

"Now do you believe me?" he wondered, not expecting a negative answer.

"Yes," she said hoarsely. "I love you too, Spaceman."

* * *

"Mum! Mum! Guess what!" Tim cried out as he swooped into the bedroom, having thrown open the door without care or thought. "Jack said I can…" He then stood stock still, stunned at the sight before him of his parents entwined upon the bed, who were staring back at him with equally horrified expressions. "Oh!" he merely commented after some moments when an appropriate action came to mind. "Sorry!" And then he hastily left the room.

Donna dragged herself away from the Doctor to call out, "Tim! Come back!"

"Let him go," the Doctor mumbled, returning to his mission of kissing her to within an inch of her life.

"I can't, she apologised. "I have to go after him and explain. You don't understand how upset he will be."

"He didn't look all that upset to me," the Doctor argued whilst trying to persuade her to continue their session. "I've seen him when he was definitely upset, remember."

She manoeuvred herself off the bed nevertheless and made sure she was decently covered up before opening the bedroom door. "Tim? Where are you?" she cried out as she stepped into the corridor.

"Here, Mum!" she eventually heard him reply clearly.

It was with relief that she found him sitting in the library. "Found you," she tried to teased, fully aware of how anxious she felt. She waved vaguely towards her bedroom. "About your dad and me… I don't want you to get too upset about what you saw..," she stammered, trying not to blush and failing miserably.

Tim shrugged dismissively. "I've seen that sort of thing on the telly when I sit with Gramps on a Friday night and you go out with your friends. Not that Gramps is normally awake when that sort of thing comes on… People do pull funny faces as they do that. Does it hurt? It looks as though it hurts."

"No, it doesn't hurt, sweetheart; but I'm worried about you, Tim," she admitted as she edged nearer to him, and began to pet his hair.

Tim happily nuzzled into her tender touch; like a happy puppy. "I'm fine about you kissing Dad now, Mum."

"Why's that? You didn't like it when he kissed me earlier," she said. She did not want to accidentally upset him but she was curious to know why he had changed his tune so drastically.

He looked up at her with his deep soulful eyes. "Dad and me had a nice talk together while you were sleeping. He said 'sorry' and everything about leaving us behind. And if Dad kisses you that means he won't marry Rose instead."

Donna carried on stroking his hair. Knowing she had better get this out into the open, she took a deep breath and softly said, "He hasn't lost his chance to marry her yet. You do know that, right? I won't be here forever."

"Then I'll come and live with Jack," he said adamantly. "Jack likes me and said I could stay with him any time I want to."

Donna risked asking, "What's wrong with Rose?"

"She might forget I'm not Dad again and try to kiss me," he answered honestly. "She scared me."

"She did what?" Donna near shrieked. "When did she try that one on you?"

Tim slightly cowered. "This morning when you were in the meadow," he mumbled fearfully. "I went to the bedroom to tell you afterwards but I couldn't find you. I looked and looked for you and then the TARDIS told me where you were."

She forced herself to calm down as she put a finger under his chin and gently lifted his face so that he could see her expression. "Now I understand why you were so upset. I'm sorry, darling, for not being with you," she told him and gave his forehead a tender kiss. "I'm not annoyed with you; not in the slightest. In fact I am very proud of you."

"You are?" he asked. Relief shined on his face.

"Always," she confirmed. "Now go and make me a cup of tea and I'll definitely love you!"

Tim giggled at her silliness. "Okay, Mum," he agreed. "I'll have it ready for you in ten minutes."

Watching him skip off, Donna's thoughts instantly turned darker, and she headed for where she had a feeling a certain someone was.

* * *

Rose was idly standing in front of her bedroom mirror, hoping she didn't look tearful anymore as she inspected her face and applied fresh mascara, when an angry ginger blur suddenly entered her room.

"Oi you! Rose Tyler!" Donna yelled out, and stomped angrily up to her. The next thing Rose knew was stars before her eyes as Donna landed an enormous slap across her face. "Don't you ever… EVER… touch my son again! Do you hear me?"

Rose stood sulkily indignant as she cradled her offended cheek and insisted, "I didn't do anything to your precious son!"

"Oh yeah? Tell it to someone who'll believe you." Donna punctuated each statement with a jab of her finger. "What you did is classed as sexual harassment, if not abuse, and I shall drag your scrawny arse through the courts after I've knocked you into next week if I have to. I don't care who you are or what you have done for the Doctor in the past. You could be the Queen of bloody Sheba for all I care!" Donna fumed at her. "Lay one finger on Tim and I shall make you regret it for the rest of your life! Oh, and a word to the wise: stay out of my sight or I'll land another one on you. Got it?"

Rose meekly nodded, frightened of risking saying anything else.

"Good! I'm glad that we've got that sorted out." Donna huffed at her and then stormed out again, leaving Rose wondering what had hit her; in more ways than one.

* * *

"Are you still in here?" Donna exclaimed when she returned to her room and found the Doctor lying on her bed reading a book.

"I must admit that I thought you would have come back a bit quicker than this. Where have you been?" he asked, as though he spent every single day in there.

She climbed back onto the bed beside him. "I don't know how to tell you this but you might have permanently lost your girlfriend," she remarked.

He put his book down and reached out to her. "And I keep telling you that she was never my girlfriend in the first place. What have you done?"

She let him draw her closer, into his arms. "I reminded her that no one touches Tim unless he wants them to."

"How did you do that?" he asked as he fought his need for a passionate embrace.

"I used my hand and her cheek," she admitted, and laughed when he looked impressed despite himself.

"I meant to have told you about her shenanigans earlier but something distracted me. Something ginger and beautiful," he crooned to her. He placed his lips by her ear. "Someone who could spend forever with me if she'd let me try out an idea."

Donna shook her head. "We've already been through this. It's a nice idea though… forever with you."

"Then let me save you. Please let me try," the Doctor begged.

As thankful tears welled up in her eyes, she told him, "Okay. I'll give it a go."

He gratefully crushed his mouth down upon hers; a plan already formed in his mind.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** I haven't finished; this grew again. Sorry about that.

* * *

**Part 11**

.

Rose edged her way cautiously out of her bedroom and crept along the TARDIS corridor. No way was she going to risk running into that vicious bitch Donna Noble in a hurry! There are only so many times you would deliberately put yourself in the way of a potential slap; and the one she'd received flipping hurt, both physically and mentally.

As she neared the console room and her aim, which in this case was a private word with the Doctor, Rose could hear the distinct sound of laughter tinkling down to greet her from a few doors away. Intrigued as to who would be laughing with such delight, she eased herself forward until she was at the doorway and could peep through the kitchen door that stood ajar. Inside were the Doctor, Tim and Donna. Rose involuntarily shuddered when she heard her voice, speaking too low to catch every single word.

But Rose's senses were put more on edge by the sight of the Doctor leaning back against a kitchen worktop adorned with mugs of tea; standing with a possessive arm wrapped around Donna's waist and a hand splayed across her stomach whilst talking animatedly with Tim, who was gazing back at him in abject wonder. "There's no way my kitten can become a nun, is there?" he asked his father.

"Tim, I'm not sure I can look after a kitten," Donna interjected carefully.

"I've thought of that, Mum," Tim replied triumphantly. "Jack said I can look after Edgar, no problem."

"Edgar?" Donna spluttered, trying not to laugh. "Why did you choose that name?"

Tim briefly scowled at her. "Because he looks like an Edgar. Keep up, Mum." He then ducked away as Donna swatted at him, and Rose found herself flinching in response.

"Tim!" the Doctor admonished him, causing Tim to look adorably apologetic.

"Sorry, Mum; but he honestly is an Edgar. It's in his eyes," he insisted; and they all giggled together.

Rose saw that family friendly moment as her cue to get out of there before she accidentally stormed in and demanded to know what the hell they thought they were up. In fact she wanted to rub their smug faces in the dirt. How dare they forget about her in this way? And what exactly was the Doctor playing at acting as though he actually cared about Donna like that? Okay, she was the 'mother' of his child; but that was it, for goodness sake! It wasn't as though they had had a passionate love affair or anything; it was purely motherhood as a surrogate.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Rose knew she would not get anywhere if she picked an argument with the Doctor, not with the way things seem to be played out in front of Donna at the moment. No, she would have to wait it out until Donna was once more out of the scene; probably permanently judging by the way everyone was treading softly around her. And once Donna was dead the Doctor would go running to Rose for consolation; she was sure of that.

Picking up the heavy bag at her feet, Rose tiptoed passed the door and headed for the main doors. Once outside she would be asking Jack for an enormous favour while she waited for the Doctor to miss her terribly and come running, or come to his sense; whichever scenario came first. All she hoped was that it wouldn't be longer than a couple of days.

* * *

"Was that who I thought it was?" Donna asked the Doctor, indicating towards the door with a nod of her head.

He smiled reassuringly down at her. "Yes, I think she's gone to ask Jack for a favour."

"I'm sure Mum would welcome her with open arms if she needs somewhere to sleep. Rose certainly made a good impression on her when she was running about with that gun of hers," Donna remarked.

"Gran wouldn't do that, would she?" Tim asked in shocked tones. "Surely she wouldn't prefer Rose over you!"

Donna reached across to caress his cheek. "Who knows with Mum? She certainly bent our ear often enough about how great Rose was, and how awful I was in comparison." Feeling his remorse beneath her touch, she tenderly drew him into her arms and whispered, "It's all my fault, not yours. None of this is your fault, so don't you ever think it is, Timothy Noble. I regret absolutely nothing where you are concerned, unless we are talking about what you went through."

Tim gave her a deep hug. "But I'm getting better," he stated in a small voice.

"I know," she said with delight. "Already you seem to be coming on in leaps and bounds thanks to your dad's pre-treatment experiments."

Tim peeped at the Doctor, causing him to laugh at Tim's expression. "I dread to think how he'll look when he perfects the eyebrow waggle," the Doctor remarked.

"He is _not_ learning your eyebrow waggle!" Donna protested. "He doesn't even need to understand _why_ you do it."

"But he might do very soon," the Doctor answered, breathing directly into her ear, hoping to get the seduction response he immediately gained from her.

Tim straightened himself, and said very bravely, "I'm ready, Dad. I want to try and be better still."

"Are you sure you are ready?" the Doctor queried. "It might make no difference whatsoever."

There was a slight hesitation before Tim firmly said, "At least I can try."

* * *

The Doctor was fussing about checking the medication line, the settings of the dials, and even the magnetic resonance, but Tim looked calm in comparison as he sat back in the chair. Yes he looked calm until you gazed into his eyes, and they were full of fear.

Tim clasped Donna's hand desperately. "I'm frightened, Mum," he quietly confessed.

She lovingly caressed his face. "It'll be alright, sweetheart. Your dad won't let anything bad happen to you. Do you still want to try?" she asked in reassurance. "Just say the word and all this will stop."

"I want to be whole again," he said with quiet determination, "for you."

She wiped away a proud tear and pressed a loving kiss on his forehead. "Good luck, darling," she said, and stepped away as the Doctor gestured to her to do so.

With a verbal flourish, the Doctor announced, "I shall now perform one of science's greatest tricks of transformation. Thanks to Jack and Torchwood I can enhance the qualities of the essential ingredients: stem cell technology and Time Lord blood." He then placed a gentle hand on Tim. "Are you ready, Tim Noble, to return to your former status?"

Tim hastily nodded. "Yes, Dad; I'm ready."

The door to the machine was shut and sealed, encasing Tim within. There was no going back now. As the Doctor switched on the machine a fine glow began to buzz into being. A pulsating metronome of sound hit them as they watched the precious mixture drip feed into Tim's vein.

Donna screamed as a film of golden light surrounded Tim, crawling across his skin and enveloping him in tightly. "You didn't say you'd kill him! He's dying! Stop it, please. You're forcing him to regenerate!" she shouted at the Doctor, her fists flying. But Jack caught hold of her to stop the potential attack.

"He knows what he is doing, Donna," Jack insisted. "Let him do his job."

"But Jack, he's my baby! I don't want him to die!" she pathetically cried out, breaking his heart. "Tim! Oh Tim!" She was distraught now; and Jack crushed her to his chest in a comforting embrace. "Please let me get to my baby!" she continued to sob.

"Shhh! It's okay, Donna," Jack soothed her as she collapsed in his arms. "Look!" he said in wonder after a few moments. "He's changing."

Donna forced herself to look. It was still Tim lying within the machine but there were subtle differences. His skin had smoothed out, softened, and plumped up. "He's gone younger!" she exclaimed in shock. "As if he's on rewind. I can't believe it; he barely looks eighteen now."

The Doctor smiled smugly at her. "I couldn't change his bone structure but I could change everything else about him for you," he stated, and held out a hand to draw her nearer. "Come and meet our son, version 2.0"

Donna giggled nervously. "Can I touch him?"

"Go ahead," the Doctor answered, "he's all yours." He opened the seal of the machine and they were all able to see Tim without the confines of the plastic windows.

"Tim?" Donna tried to attract his attention as she ran a finger up his arm, almost frightened to disturb his slumbers. "Can you talk to me, Tim?"

Tim's eyes fluttered open, and recognition flared in them as he said, "Hello, Mum. I feel different."

She sniffed back a sob. "You are different, but only a bit to look at. How's your head?"

"Good," he answered after some careful consideration. "It no longer feels all fuzzy, like I was swimming through treacle." His eyes widened as some thought obviously occurred to him. "Oh wow! I can really think again! It's like… Wow!"

"Is that the result of a new and improved brain?" she teased. It was so good to see true intelligence shine out of him once more; she could feel various thoughts and ideas whizz through his sleepy head.

Tim glimpsed at the machinery around him and frowned. "You used a diamode ondacian, Dad! Seriously? What were you thinking?" he scoffed.

The Doctor gave an embarrassed cough. "I had to work with what I was given, Tim," he defended himself.

"Yeah, but still…," Tim continued his scorn. "Anyone would think you were doing things on a shoe string."

"Enough of your cheek, young man!" The Doctor's eyes danced with merriment.

"So what do I have to do to get a hug around here?" Tim wondered.

"Oops! Sorry," the Doctor said as he jumped forward apologetically and released the restraints that had held Tim onto the chair.

Donna clasped a hand over her mouth as Tim threw his arms around the Doctor, who returned the embrace with gusto. At last she could breathe a proper sigh of relief. He was okay; Tim was finally okay.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:** Sorry about the delay. I refused to add more parts... and no, I'm not sure about the ending.

* * *

**Part 12**

.

Both Jack and the Doctor assisted Tim as he tried to stand. "Can you walk?" Jack asked him.

"Think so," Tim replied, but his body wouldn't obey him. "Just give me an hour or so," he said with a grin. His body may have been heavily sedated but he could still enjoy the advanced activity of his brain.

"We'll carry you," the Doctor insisted. "You need to rest for a while."

"Okay, Dad. Thanks Jack," Tim answered, letting them take a hold of his legs and his torso between them and then place him on a trolley that the Doctor had placed nearby just in case.

Donna was beaming with relief as she watched them head towards their bedroom in the TARDIS, feeling her own tiredness after the strain of the recent scene. Turning to follow them, she almost walked straight into Rose. Donna couldn't help wondering where she'd been hiding.

"Is he okay?" Rose asked her immediately.

"Yes, it worked," Donna replied, reluctant to supply more information.

"Does this mean you'll be leaving the TARDIS soon?" Rose then asked.

"Depends what you mean by 'soon'. Tim has to sleep off the sedative and the partial regeneration for a few hours. After that, I don't honestly know," Donna admitted.

Rose brightened slightly. "Nothing has been decided then?"

"No," Donna slowly answered. "I suppose I'll have to go and collect Edgar from Jack's office at some point, but that's it. I have to go and be with Tim, he can't…" She then waved a vague gesture as if that would explain all, and found that she couldn't be bothered to do more.

Rose seemed to be deep in thought as she wandered away, leaving Donna to make her way quickly into the TARDIS.

* * *

Donna found Tim lying in his bed sound asleep, curled up on his side. All that was missing was a teddy bear, Donna thought as she gazed lovingly down at him and wiped his fringe out of his eyes. There was a buzz of activity beneath her fingers as she felt his dreamy thoughts race round his head; but at least they were all happy thoughts, filled with memories of when they had holidayed on a deserted beach in Norfolk and he'd been able to run about to his heart's content. It had been rare to be able to offer him that without people tutting at them.

"Can't leave him alone, I see," the Doctor commented from behind her.

She turned and smiled at him. "How could I not? He's always been adorable; just like his… mum," she said as he sidled up to her side and wrapped himself around her.

He smirked at the last word. "I think we all know who he takes after," he remarked cheekily.

"Oh yeah?" she replied, trying not to be distracted by his attempts to ghost his lips over her mouth.

He knew he was winning when she snaked her arms around him. "See! You're not even arguing about it. Just as you won't disagree with the fact that he needs a younger brother," he told her in seductive tones as he rubbed his nose along her jawline. "Or sister, as the case may be; I'm not overly bothered."

"Good grief! Am I hearing right? Are you actually telling me you want to go completely domestic?" she teased him.

He gave a shrug. "I already have a wife and a son here, so why not add to the fun?" he suggested.

"The next one wouldn't come readymade without the need for toilet training," she pointed out.

"It would be ultra-cute, though," he countered thoughtfully. "And possibly ginger. Well, hopefully ginger. We can aim for ginger, can't we?"

"For you, dear husband, I shall do my level best," she answered. Unable to resist the action anymore, she kissed him; first tenderly and then increasingly passionately.

"Let's go to bed," he whispered.

"Doctor!" she admonished him. "We have to keep an eye on Tim and he doesn't… well, he has already seen far more than he should have."

"You're not going to leave this room, are you?" he asked, getting the confirmation he expected. He then sighed. "In that case we'll just snuggle up on the other bed and you can keep an eye on your precious baby."

"Too right I will," Donna told him. "He's the reason I'm alive."

"And what about me?" the Doctor griped, adding in a pout.

"You? You're just my husband," she commented. With a patronising pat on his head, she added, "You know I don't mean it like that really. But I've thought of this moment for so long it's hard to consider anything else yet… And _don't_ make a joke about being hard!"

"You spoil all my fun," he mumbled mischievously. "Now about this offer to go to bed..."

* * *

Tim woke and rolled over gently; not surprised in the least to see his parents dozing together in the other bed. A wide grin spread across his face as he contemplated them, glad that they had finally admitted their feelings to one another. He just wished that they could have longer together before it all went sour, but he knew that was a pipe dream unless his father found a way to stabilise the...

A sudden thought hit him, and he shot up sitting in bed. "Dad! Dad, I think I've got it!" he yelled out.

"Then don't give it to me," the Doctor mumbled in his half-comatosed state.

Tim huffed indignantly at him. "Seriously, Dad. I've got an idea," he insisted. "If you tweak Mum's DNA to be more Time Lord then she can heal herself. What if you open the heart of the TARDIS like you did for Blon then…"

"Don't even think about it," the Doctor growled menacingly. "Look what happened last time someone did that; I lost a life, a species was wiped out and Jack gained immortality."

"All of which was not Mum's fault or yours," Tim pointed out forcefully. "But can't you see that it might work?" he asked desperately.

The Doctor sat up too, and gestured for Tim to lower his voice after glancing at the still sleeping Donna by his side. "Yes, it could," he agreed. "But I have already set a plan in motion."

"What plan?" Tim frowned at him in confusion. "The only way you could have changed Mum so far is by… OH!" He shot a huge sunny smile at him. "You haven't, have you?"

The Doctor grinned back. "Might have done," he answered, visibly preening himself. "Now all I have to do is join with her mentally again and show her how to squash that tumour into oblivion."

There was the sound of a delighted laugh from Tim. "Can you do all that before the pregnancy ends and the tumour can come back?" he asked hopefully.

"Yes!" the Doctor replied, drawing out the syllable in a high-pitched squeak. "We can work on a permanent resolution together."

"Or you keep Mum permanently pregnant," Tim considered, and then laughed again. "I think she'd kill you if you did that."

"Sounds about right," the Doctor conceded. "I think this calls for a celebratory cup of tea. What do you think?"

"Definitely," Tim agreed. "Do I get breakfast in bed too?"

"Why you cheeky…!" the Doctor stammered in amazement.

"But Dad! I'm getting over a medical procedure. I need careful looking after," Tim argued, as he patted his chest and gave a pathetic little cough for extra effect.

Donna immediately snuffled awake. "What's happened? Did you call me? Is Tim okay?" she anxiously queried; and got laughed at for her troubles. "Tell me what's so funny!" she demanded.

"Mum, I was messing about," Tim explained. "Although I know for certain how much you love me."

"Was it ever in question?" the Doctor wondered.

"No, but it's still nice to know," Tim admitted.

"I can go off people," Donna griped, as she too sat up. "You may be cute but that doesn't mean…" Her voice trailed off as she considered him. "Shouldn't you be looking a lot worse for wear than you do?"

"Time Lord genes, Mum," he said proudly. "All I need now is a cup of tea and I'll be right as rain. Dad's making the tea by the way."

"Got any of those genes going spare, Spaceman?" she turned to ask the Doctor.

He smiled indulgently back at her. "I might be able to arrange something for you. But first I have to deal with _your_ son and his need for tea."

Donna glared at him. "MY son? What d'you mean by _my_ son? He's just as much yours, you know."

As Tim giggled helplessly on the bed, the Doctor couldn't resist being grateful for this moment. "I can see that," he remarked happily. "Did you want toast with this tea?"

* * *

They'd made the most of their stay in Cardiff with Jack while making sure Tim had gained his full strength and faculties. They'd had a good time strolling along the waterfront and playing on a nearby beach. Tim had found himself doing something he had never done before: he started to notice the local girls. Of course that brought problems all of its own, and Jack had been eager to field any questions and be a confidante.

Donna found herself worrying how Tim would now react towards Rose, for more than one reason. When she eventually voiced the concern to him, Tim had spluttered, "But she is way too old for me! Why would I look at her?"

"Oh, you never know," Donna had answered, aiming for nonchalance. "You'll find all sorts of women appealing as a human male."

Tim fixed her with a beady eye. "You are forgetting, Mum; I am more Time Lord than human now. We don't do that sort of thing."

"If you say so," she tried to say without scoffing. "Just be careful who Jack will test you with in the future."

She got back an indignant, "Mum!" Boys, eh? Who knew how much you could tease them? She'd been missing out on a great deal with him, and that thought made her tear up.

Two days later Rose came out of hiding again when Donna was sitting on her own while the Doctor and Tim were showing Jack some experiment of theirs. "Hello, Rose," Donna greeted her when the smell of her scent hit her as she sat reading in Jack's office.

"How did you…? Hello, Donna. I see you are still here. Have you got any plans to go home yet?" Rose asked, taking the seat opposite to her across the desk.

"I thought you knew the score," Donna proclaimed. "The fact is, Rose, that I am home. I'm spending as much time as I can with my son and husband."

"Husband?" Rose angrily questioned.

Donna sighed. "Yes, husband. We've been through a couple of ceremonies but it was the metacrisis that completed that one. I know you don't like the idea but I can't change it now just for you."

"But what about me?" Rose demanded. "The Doctor was supposed to be with me."

It was all too easy to blurt out some angry retort, and it wouldn't help the situation by doing so. "At the moment he is bonded to me. It will remain that way until I die," Donna restated. "Just promise me one thing afterwards, please."

"What's that?" Rose asked, wondering why Donna's tone sounded so sad.

Donna seemed to need to steady herself before saying, "Look after him for me; after the pair of them."

Was that threat of death real? "Okay," Rose quickly agreed, not knowing what else to say. Her concern grew when Donna stood up abruptly and swayed. "Are you alright, Donna?"

Donna placed a hand on her head. "No," she replied. "I feel really… I feel sick!"

"What do you want me to do?" Rose got up and hovered anxiously by her side.

"Just get me back to the TARDIS before I ruin your shoes," Donna warned. "What is that noise?" she complained testily. "I'll have to ask Jack to turn it down a bit."

"What noise? I can't hear a noise," Rose told her.

Donna held onto her forehead and she gestured towards the ceiling with her spare hand. "That deep vibrating noise that feels like it is boring into my head."

"All I can hear are the fluorescent lights, and they aren't that loud," Rose informed her. "You really don't look well."

Oh hell! Donna knew this didn't bode well for her. "Can you help me get to the TARDIS please, Rose? This might prove to be a bit shaming otherwise."

"Shaming? In what way?" Rose demanded to know. "Should I get you a drink or something?"

Donna bit down on her temper. "Just get me somewhere that's quiet and dark, please. I really don't want to throw up all over you."

"Oh! Right!" Rose sprang into action, grabbing hold of Donna's arm to guide her. She got her as far as the ramp when Donna began to stumble. "We're almost there," Rose tried to encourage her.

But Donna was gulping at shallow breaths, feeling her vision increasing darkening around the edges. She had expected the smell of burning matches, or the pins and needles down her left side even more. Everything was becoming a supreme effort of will. A slurring sound came out of her mouth but Rose could not make head nor tail of it.

There was a flurry of activity down the corridor towards them as someone raced towards the console room.

"Donna?" the Doctor cried out in panic. Within seconds he was by her side, and lifting her gently into his embrace. "Rose, what happened?"

"She said she felt sick, I got her here and then she passed out," Rose supplied. "Will she be okay? I didn't mean it when I said I wanted her out of the way. Make her better, please!"

"Pass me the …" The Doctor hadn't got far when Tim raced up to hand him a large bowl and Donna retched into it.

Both of them, to Rose's surprise, looked quite pleased about the situation. "What's going on?" she demanded to know. Her temper wasn't helped by Tim smirking at her.

The Doctor smoothed back Donna's hair lovingly, and flashed a brief grin in Rose's direction. "Don't worry; this is all perfectly natural." Seeing Rose's completely anxious and puzzled expression he decided to explain, "Donna is pregnant, with our child."

"Your child?" Rose nearly shrieked. "Then you… and she…" She pointed despondently between the Doctor and Donna.

"I'm going to be a big brother," Tim stated proudly. "And Mum is going to be okay. Isn't that terrific?"

"Yeah," Rose answered weakly.

"Am I really pregnant?" Donna asked from her position over the bowl.

"Yes, love," the Doctor gleefully answered. "I sort of assumed you'd be okay about it."

She glanced cautiously at Rose. "Can we discuss that later? I'm a bit preoccupied with losing my lunch right at this moment."

"Of course," he replied, and kissed her forehead.

Rose knew in that moment that her dreams onboard the TARDIS had come to an abrupt end. The family in front of her only had eyes for each other, and she didn't want to play gooseberry anymore. Biting down on the bile that had risen in her throat for more than one reason, she decided that she could overcome this disappointment. She owed it to herself.

* * *

The next time Rose saw them she hadn't deliberately sought them out. That's what she told herself. It had only happened because she kept in touch with Sylvia thanks to Donna recommending she did; not that she wanted to acknowledge that to herself even after all this time.

It had occurred in the local garden centre of all places, their appearance heralded by the sound of loud laughter. Before she knew it, Rose could see a pregnant Donna waddling towards her flanked by Tim holding the hand of a small boy and, believe it or not, the Doctor holding a toddler who was obviously his daughter. Who would have thought he could embrace domesticity so much and so willingly? This certainly was not the Doctor she knew. But then he had probably disappeared years ago.

What was clear to her was the fact Donna was glowing with health, Tim was knowledgably pointing out loads of plants to his brother, and the Doctor was engrossed in talking to Donna whilst answering his daughter's questions and hugging her tightly.

"You look well," Rose greeted Donna when it was inevitable they were going to meet.

"So do you," Donna readily replied. "I hear your husband has just got a promotion."

"Yes he has," Rose said proudly. "He deserves it."

The Doctor shifted the child in his arms and smiled at her. "That's really good to hear," he said. "Are you still with Torchwood?"

Rose nodded. "I'm back here in London permanently since Cardiff blew up. You wouldn't have met Jack on your travels, have you?"

Both he and Tim shared a look. "No," he answered, letting out a long breath.

"The widderman, Daddy," the small boy by their side burst out anxiously. "He getting poorly."

"We have a widderman to deal with," the Doctor told her apologetically, "so we have to go."

"It's good to see you all," Rose replied honestly. "Bye then."

They all said their goodbyes back and for the first time she could remember doing so Rose was glad she hadn't felt envious of Donna being with the Doctor. No, Donna was welcome to all those pregnancies after what she had seen Jackie go through with Tony.

With that thought in mind, Rose closed the box on that part of her life for ever.

Glancing back at her, Donna asked the Doctor, _Any regrets?_

_None whatsoever,_ he quickly replied, _Not when I've got all this!_; and she felt his happy sigh through their connection.

THE END


End file.
